§ Sir B. FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that the regulations governing leave to workmen employed in His Majesty's Dockyard admit of workmen being granted leave of absence to attend courses at political colleges, organise and fight political and municipal contests, and perform other political organising work, and in view of the fact that such men receive remuneration from other sources whilst absent on unpaid leave from the dockyard, he will authorise their places being filled by men who are unemployed, and thus afford temporary relief to unemployment?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANWorkmen employed in His Majesty's Dockyards are entitled under the Regulations to 14 days' leave of absence per annum without pay, without reference to the purpose for which the leave is required; leave of absence in excess of 14 days per annum is regarded as special, and each application is dealt with on its merits; there is no special provision in the Regulations for leave of absence for the purposes stated in the question. The grant of special leave of absence is always subject to the convenience of the Service; the42W places of men on leave are already filled where necessary, but it is impossible to identify any particular workmen as substitutes for those on leave of absence.