§ Captain PLUGGEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can give any statistics showing the number of retired shipwrights and retired fitters who have now been reemployed in Chatham dockyard; and what steps are taken to ensure that there is always a supply of younger skilled labour in the dockyards?
Mr. LINDSAYThe numbers are: 21 shipwrights, nine fitters. These trades are normally recruited by the entry of apprentices and by direct entry of journeymen from outside. Since the period of apprenticeship in these trades is five years, the number of apprentices entered in any year must be based on the requirements anticipated five years ahead.
§ Captain PLUGGEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the reason why the number of established industrial employés for which provision has been made in His Majesty's naval establishments during 1935–36 is less than for 1934–35, whereas the number of hired men provided for has increased; and whether, as the total numbers required in the dockyards are likely to be 30,000 or more for several years to come, he will consider raising the number of established men to 10,000 at least at the earliest opportunity?
Mr. LINDSAYThe reduction to which the hon. and gallant Member refers was 917W due to the operation of the rule by which only one vacancy out of every four arising in the Established List in the various naval establishments was filled. This rule was enforced owing to the very high proportion of established workpeople employed in the larger departments of the dockyards. Since the 1st April and pending the settlement of the future established complement the rule has been modified to a proportion varying from one in three to one in one according to the ratio of established to establishable men in the various departments. In determining the complement the Admiralty will certainly take account of the numbers employed in the various establishments and the prospects of employment in the future. A complement will have to be fixed for each establishable grade in each department of each establishment, and I should prefer to postpone any statement as to the total complement until these details have been settled.