§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many reserve destroyers it is proposed to lay up in the basin at Rosyth; and whence these destroyers will be drawn?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMAs regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of yesterday to the hon. Member for Dunfermline (OFFICIAL REPORT, cols. 1028–29). The destroyers will be drawn from those now in reserve which are distributed1256W between the home ports and Port Edgar.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) to what extent the decision to lay up a considerable number of reserve destroyers in the basin of Rosyth will affect the naval personnel and dockyard work in the southern ports;
(2) what economies it is anticipated will be effected by the decision to lay up a considerable number of reserve destroyers in the basin of Rosyth; and how far these economics will be made at the expense of each of the southern ports?
§ Lieut.- Colonel HEADLAMThe economy which is expected to be realised by laying-up destroyers in maintenance reserve is in the neighbourhood of £130,000 a year. A part of this is due to a decrease in the number of naval personnel required as compared with present reserve complements, and part to a saving in maintenance charges of the vessels. The anticipated reduction of maintenance charges is approximately £80,000, of which some £50,000 represents dockyard labour charges. The number of naval personnel which will be reduced is estimated at 174. It may be anticipated that the economies will be spread equally over the southern ports.