§ Captain ALBERT SMITHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many sick-berth ratings there are at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport, who voluntarily joined in 1914 and 1915; how many of them arc over thirty-seven years of age; how many of them are married; and whether he will give the reason why they are not demobilised?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThe number of sick-berth ratings at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, who joined in 1914 and 1915 is ninety-five. Of these, forty-one are over thirty-seven years of age and seventy-four are married. The reason why these ratings have not been demobilised is because it has not been possible to spare their services so long as the numbers of patients still requiring nursing and attention remained considerable. I may, however, add that 335 Reserve ratings have been demobilised from Portsmouth Depot, 371 from Plymouth, and 593 from Chatham. It is, I understand, hoped that it may be possible to release a large number shortly.