§ 79. Commander Purseyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of ratings promoted to the warrant rank of gunner, gunner (T) and boatswain, respectively, during the year 1946; and the number now qualified educationally and professionally, respectively, for each of these ranks.
Mr. DugdaleThe number of ratings promoted to the ranks in question during 1946 and the number now qualified professionally, and both educationally and professionally, are as follow:
— Promoted. Qualified professionally. Qualified educationally and professionally. Gunner, R.N. 35 55 29 Gunner, (T) 18 — — Gunner, (TAS) (The Torpedo and Anti-Submarine Branch has superseded the Torpedo Branch). — 35 12 Boatswain 8 64 5 I regret that information is not readily available as to the number of ratings who have qualified educationally, but not professionally.
§ 80. Commander Purseyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the actual number of increased executive commissions to be awarded to lower deck ratings this year under the recently announced increased percentage; whether the corresponding decrease is to be made from the 13-year-old cadet entries into Dartmouth College or from the 17–18-yearold special entry cadets, or from both; and, if from both, in what proportion.
Mr. DugdaleIt is exceedingly difficult to estimate the actual number but, as I206W explained when introducing the Navy Estimates last week, we hope in future to select 20 per cent. to 25 per cent. of our officers from men who began their career on the lower deck. If, as I hope, we are able to achieve and maintain this percentage, a reduction in the ratio of cadet entries will be necessary, but it is not yet possible to say exactly how this will affect these entries.