61. Dr. Bennettasked the First Lord of the Admiralty why the civil staff of his Department has continued to increase at a time when those of almost all other Departments have been reduced.
§ Mr. DigbyAs the re-armament programme proceeds the work of the Admiralty necessarily expands: This involves increases in staff and administrative expenditure.
When the Government took office, the size of the Admiralty non-industrial staff required to deal with the defence programme was contemplated as rising to 36,000 during the course of the present financial year. It has, in fact, proved possible to restrict the size to 33,500 and, while some further increases will be essential, these will be kept within the smallest possible limits.