§ Sir R. Youngasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the number of boys entered from industrial life with over 2½years' previous mechanical training now in the "Caledonia" training establishment; what is their fortnightly rate of payment during their first and second years; the amount of weekly deductions therefrom for laundry, National Health Insurance, boot and clothing repairs, etc.; and how these deductions are made?
§ Mr. ShakespeareThe reply to the first part of the question is 198. The rate of
2480Wpay of these boys is 1s. 6d. a day (21s. a fortnight) during their first year and 2s. a day (28s. a fortnight) during the second year, plus an allowance for kit upkeep of approximately 5s. a fortnight in each year. No deduction is made for National Health Insurance but in common with all naval ratings they are liable for contribution at the rate of 5½d. a week in respect of Widows', Orphans and Old Age Contributory Pensions Insurance. The amount of the deductions for articles of uniform, etc., taken up on repayment, laundry, boot and clothing repairs, library subscriptions, cost of admission to social entertainments, etc., varies.
Fortnightly advances are paid calculated on pay and kit upkeep allowance less the deductions mentioned: the normal rate of advance is 14s. during the first year and 20s. during the second year, but these are supplemented by an additional double payment, where the boy has an appropriate credit, at some time during the quarter. The average fortnightly advance is thus 18s. 8d. in the first year and 26s. 8d. in the second year. The deductions are made by charging the items to the boy's account monthly or quarterly.
§ Sir R. Youngasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many apprentices were sent to the several mechanical training establishments, respectively, during 1938; how many from the south of the Midlands were sent to Chatham; and how many from the north of the Midlands to Rosyth?
§ Mr. ShakespeareThe numbers of apprentices sent to the mechanical training establishments in 1938 were:
His Majesty's Ship "Caledonia" at at Rosyth 193 Mechanical Training Establishment, Chatham 136 Royal Air Force Training Establishment, Halton (Air Apprentices) 50 The number from the south of the Midlands sent to Chatham was 134. The number from the north of the Midlands sent to Rosyth was 42.
§ Sir R. Youngasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what concession is granted to first and second-year apprentices for railway fares to those in "Caledonia" training establishments; whether apprentices can remain in the ship during leave periods if they so desire; whether those with insufficient money are 2481W given assistance to pay railway fares to their homes; and, if so, from what fund is the assistance given and how repaid?
§ Mr. Shakespeare:There are three leave periods a year in "Caledonia." First-year and second-year apprentices are allowed free return railway journeys to their homes twice a year; at the third leave period, they can obtain tickets from the railway company at the reduced rate of ordinary single fare for the return journey.
Every encouragement is given to apprentices to take their leave when it is due because of the importance to their health and morale of a change in environment. No occasion has yet arisen for any apprentices to remain on board but there is no rule against it.
The regulations governing the issue of money to first and second-year apprentices provide for the balance of their pay, after the issue of the pocket money for which they are eligible and any allotment
— Interviewed by Fleet Selection Boards. Recommended by Fleet Selection Boards. Recommended by Final Selection Boards. Portsmouth Command … … 3 2 1 Plymouth Command … … 2 2 2 The More Command … … 1 1 1 Home Fleet … … 2 2 2 Totals … … 8 7 6 The promotion of the six recommended candidates has been approved as from 1st July, 1939.