§ Sir J. NORTON-GRIFFITHSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, as reported in the Press, the number of employés at Gibraltar naval dockyard has been reduced by 50 per cent,; how many of these are British; and whether he can give any figures in respect of reductions, actual or impending, at other naval dockyards?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThe number of dockyard workmen at Gibraltar is being reduced from 1,750 at the-commencement of 1922 to 1,100. A proportion of the men discharged will be British, but it cannot at present be stated how many will be local British workmen and how many Spanish. At dockyards at home discharges are now-taking place at the rate of 380 a week:
Rosyth … … 200 Portsmouth … … 90 Devonport … … 50 Chatham … … 20 Sheerness … … 20 About 300 men have to be discharged from naval work at Pembroke during the financial year 1922–23, and probably a further 300 from repayment work from the same yard. The service under the Admiralty of all the remaining men at Haulbowline will be terminated as soon as possible.