§ Lieut.-Colonel WHELERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty when he will be able to make any statement as to any further reductions in the personnel of the Navy, as the uncertainty as to their future service in the Navy is causing considerable difficulties to many naval officers?
§ Mr. LONGThe special terms in respect of pension or gratuity on which officers will be permitted to retire from the Service, in order to effect the necessary reduction in the lists, have now been agreed upon with the Treasury, and will be promulgated almost immediately.
NAVY EXPENDITURE. — 1919. December. 1920. January. 1920. February. £ £ £ Salaries, wages, etc., both naval and civilian, including labour. 4,059,980 6,471,845 3,790,050 Victualling, clothing, etc, including allowances 792,712 841,984 773,426 Medical services 15,400 32,829 15,167 Naval stores 426,057 825,438 416,800 Fuel for the Fleet 800,906 945,979 787,256 Shipbuilding, machinery, etc., by contract 2,864,733 3,301,554 2,678,325 Naval armaments 396,379 766,452 331,717 New works, buildings, etc 425,595 522,783 428,165 Miscellaneous services 676,550 2,917,334 658,545 Pensions, retired pay, etc. 567,963 1,006,791 587,057 11,026,275 17,632,989 10,466,508
NUMBERS. — 1919. December. 1920. January. 1920. February. Naval personnel borne (excluding officers and men dispersed but not demobilised). 148,031 (15th Dec.) 146,500 142,000 Headquarters staff 7,338 7,090 6,897 Outports office staff 7,199 6,916 6,817 Industrial employees 79,795 79,072 78,532 The expenditure during December shows a reduction of £2,750,000, as compared with the figure for November, 1919, previously furnished to my right hon. Friend.
As regards the apparent increase during the month of January, I would remind my right hon. Friend of what I pointed out to