HC Deb 13 March 1924 vol 170 cc2565-6W
Major HORE-BELISHA

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the special conditions of employment of yard craftsmen in the Royal dockyards, the average number of hours these men are on duty per week, of what their duty consists, and their pay?

Mr. AMMON

The yard craftsmen are employed under seafaring conditions with weekly rates of wages to cover all the duties required of them. They form the crews of dockyard tugs and other floating craft required for the various purposes of the dockyards, the fuelling and victualling services of the Fleet, and the dredging service. The hours of duty vary considerably, as does also the nature of the duties. There is no uniform scheme of working hours, the men are not in all cases actively employed for the whole time they are on board their vessels. The duty of these men consists of working their vessels in carrying out the various services of the yardcraft. The normal weekly rates of wages of the several classes of yard craftsmen are as shown in the following statement:

Total Weekly Rate. Inclusive of 17s. 6d. War increase.
s. d. s. d.
Masters 1st Class 80 6 to 87 6
Masters 2nd Class 73 6 to 80 6
Mate 59 6 to 64 9
Engineer 1st Class 84 0 to 91 0
Engineer 2nd Class 73 6 to 80 6
Engineer 3rd Class 66 6 to 73 6
Chief Stoker 61 3 to 63 7
Leading Stoker 55 5 to 57 9
Stoker 53 1 to 54 3
Able Seaman 51 4 to 52 6
s. d.
Ordinary Seamen under 20 years of age 46 1
Ordinary Seamen over 20, but under 21 years of age 46 8
Ordinary Seamen over 21 years of age 50 2