§ 74. Mr. Pagetasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what has been done to implement Recommendation 6 of the First Report from the Select Committee on Estimates of Session 1959–60, to the effect that the division of headquarters organisation should be reconsidered, with the object of concentrating all sub-divi- 28W sions of departments on one site and limiting calls made by the central organisation on the directors-general of the departments stationed outside London.
§ Mr. C. Ian Orr-EwingThe Maintenance Division of the Dockyards and Maintenance Department has recently been moved from the Empire Hotel to the Ensleigh site in Bath, to be alongside the rest of the department. The Radio Division of the Weapons Department will be moved from London to the Ensleigh site, where the bulk of the Weapons Department is already concentrated, as soon as accommodation is available, probably in mid-1962.
With the completion of these two moves all directors-general will have their divisions grouped around them.
§ 75. Mr. Pagetasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty what steps have been taken to implement Recommendation 4 of the First Report from the Select Committee on Estimates of Session 1959–60, to the effect that the Permanent Secretary of the Admiralty should have stronger control over headquarters numbers, and that a definite policy of civilianisation be introduced.
§ Mr. C. Ian Orr-EwingI would refer the hon. Gentleman to the Admiralty's observations on this recommendation, which were published in the Third Special Report from the Estimates Committee, Session 1960–61. In this we said that the Permanent Secretary's authority applied in practice equally to naval and civilian officers and it has been our policy for a long time to employ naval officers only where their long experience and qualifications are essential for their duties to be carried out.