§ Mr. Medlandasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total numbers of hired men engaged between March, 1939 and 1944, for employment in His Majesty's Dockyards at Chatham, Portsmouth and Devonport; the numbers who were previously employed in the building trades; and what action he is taking to return 2286W these men to the Employment Exchanges at these ports to enable them to be re-employed on building trades' work in their own locality.
Mr. AlexanderThe information asked for in the first part of the Question is not readily available, but, in the four professional departments in the dockyards named, 1,335 men have registered as former building trade workers. Alarge number of these have already left Admiralty employment and the rest may leave if they so wish. In addition I have offered release to about 700 men, at present employed mainly on building trade work, in the works Departments of these three Dockyards.