§ Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how far recruiting for the mechanical branch of the Navy by direct entry from private workshops is meeting requirements; and what difficulties, if any, are being encountered?
Lord StanleyI presume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to the direct entry of engine room, ordnance and electrical artificers. There is at present a keen demand for skilled men in private industries throughout the country. For this reason recruitment for these branches of the Navy is not at the moment sufficient for our needs, but the Admiralty have continually in mind the necessity 1793W of obtaining an adequate number of recruits and hope that this will be forthcoming in due course. The number required is not so great that the withdrawal of these skilled workmen from industry would affect industrial production to any marked degree, provided that the number withdrawn is evenly spread over the industries concerned.