§ Major ADAMasked the Secretary for War if he can state the total number employed in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich at the present time; the minimum number which it is intended to employ; on what date that minimum is likely to be reached; whether any boys have been taken on the strength during the last six months; if so, how many, and on what terms?
§ Mr. HALDANE:The number of men and boys in the Royal Laboratory and Royal Gunpowder and Carriage Factories, for which an establishment was fixed, was 7,965 on 5th March, the latest date for which we have returns. The establishment was fixed for these factories at 8,000 to 8,400, but in view of the Admiralty not requiring the manufacture of naval mountings in the ordnance factories in future a reduction of the minimum establishment will be necessary. One trade lad and two workshop students have been taken on during the last six months. The above figures do not include the Torpedo Factory Central Office and Building Works Department, for which no establishment was fixed, and in which there were 2,981 men and boys on 5th March, making a total of 10,946 men and boys in the Arsenal factories on that date.