HC Deb 28 November 1930 vol 245 cc1669-70W
Sir N. GRATTAN-DOYLE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether permission is given by foreign Powers for British naval officers to be trained with foreign Navies; whether any British officers have, in fact, received such training; and, if not, in what other manner foreign Powers recompense Great Britain for training their naval officers?

Mr. ALEXANDER

Foreign Powers which have adequate facilities for training in their own Navies do not apply for their officers to be trained in ours. Therefore, the question of receiving British officers for training does not arise. As indicated by the Prime Minister in his reply of 6th November, our action is based on considerations of international courtesy, not on any expectation of reciprocity in kind. There is no doubt, however, that as an incidental result, British manufacturers benefit through the knowledge which foreign officers thus acquire of the high qualities of British naval material.