HC Deb 16 April 1946 vol 421 cc430-4W
Major Bruce

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will furnish figures showing, as at 31st March, or the nearest convenient date thereto, of each year from 1918 to 1946, the numbers of men and women employed in the Royal Dockyard at Portsmouth, and distinguishing between established and non-established personnel; and whether he will state the intakes and discharges for each of the years concerned, giving the reasons for exceptionally large intakes or discharges.

Mr. Duģdale:

The numbers of work-people employed under the Shipbuilding Repairing and Maintenance Vote for the years in question are set out in the table below:

— Total Men and Women on Yard Books. Total with H.M. Forces included in the fore-going. Net Numbers actually employed. Entries and Discharges during the year. Remarks.
Established. Non-Established. Entries. Discharges. Net Increase + Decrease -
Men. Women. Men. Women.
6th April, 1918 3,197 — 11,738 1,641 — — — — — Numbers serving with the Forces at this date are not known.
22nd March, 1919 3,502 — 14,362 782 1,637 17,008 Reliable data not now available
20th March, 1920 3,784 — 12,747 183 445 16,269 1,192 (a) 2,545 4,476 -739 Discharges due to reduced requirements for post war Fleet.
19th March, 1921 3,809 — 12,870 190 — 16,869 445 (a) 2,179 2, 024 +600 includes approx. 1,400 entries under the "short time" scheme.
25th March, 1922 3,849 — 9,736 156 — 13,741 531 3,659 -3,128 Includes approx. 1,600 net discharges under the "short time" scheme and reduction in Fleet requirements.
24th March, 1923 4,034 — 7,308 131 — 11,473 998 3,266 -2,268 Reduction in Fleet requirements.
22nd March 1924 3,925 — 8,051 123 — 12,099 1,535 909 + 626 Includes approx. 1,100 entries under a scheme to relieve unemployment.
21st March 1925 3,866 — 8,019 121 — 12,006 673 766 -93
20th March, 1926 3,892 — 7,982 116 — 11,990 1,009 1,025 -16
19th March, 1927 4,008 — 7,982 116 — 11,904 786 872 -86
24th March, 1928 3,801 — 6,888 107 — 10,796 385 1,493 -1,108 Reductions due to curtailment of Programme.
23rd March, 1929 3,666 4 6,873 103 — 10,646 783 933 -150
22nd March, 1930 3,500 5 7,240 102 — 10,847 1,288 1,087 +201
21st March, 1931 3,392 5 7,146 111 — 20,654 1,505 1,698 -193
19th March, 1932 3,249 5 7,406 105 — 10,765 1,373 1,262 +111
25th March, 1933 3,121 5 7,396 104 — 10,626 2,007 2,146 -139
24th March, 1934 2,990 5 7,649 106 — 10,750 2,091 1,967 -124
23rd March, 1935 2,820 5 8,718 107 — 11,650 2,486 1,586 +900 Period of re-armament.
21st March, 1936 2,651 5 9,589 116 — 12,361 2,396 1,685 +711
20th March, 1937 2,536 5 11,085 127 — 13,753 1,802 410 +1,392
19th March, 1938 2,590 20 11,347 125 — 14,082 1,788 1,459 +329
25th March, 1939 2,614 19 12,268 135 — 15,036 2,373 1,419 +959
23rd March, 1940 2,617 19(c) 14,005 131 1,447 15,325 307 (a) 3,231 1,754 (b) 1,495 + 289
22nd March 1941 2,497 — 14,970 921 1,901 16,487 167 (a) 2,929 621 (b) 1,313 +1,162 Entry of 790 women.
21st March, 1942 2,296 — 14,837 1,881 2,121 16,893 124 (a) 2,711 344(b) 2,085 +406

— Total Men and Women on Yard Books. Total with H.M. Forces included in the fore-going. Net Numbers actually employed. Entries and Discharges during the year. Remarks.
Established. Non-Established. Entries. Discharges. Net Increase + Decrease -
Men. Women. Men. Women.
20th March, 1943 2347 — 15,015 2,391 2,275 17,478 138 (a) 1,552 292 (b) 813 + 585
25th March, 1944 2,293 — 14,672 2,617 2,410 17,172 110 (a) 1,110 245 (b) 1,281 -306 During this period, women began to leave the Dockyard. Since August, 1945, persons wishing to leave have been allowed to do so. Losses have been party by returns of men from the Forces.
24th March, 1945 2,334 — 14,593 2,151 2,379 16,699 174 (a) 1,423 143 (b) 1,927 -473
23rd March, 1946 2,462 — 14,257 353 1,427 15,645 1,093 (a) 1,896 141 (b) 3,902 -1,054
(a) Released from H.M. Forces.
(b) Joined H.M. Forces.
(c) Established women tracers were transferred to non-industrial status in 1941.

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