§ 35. Mr. Medlandasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the number of naval officers employed in the superintending electrical engineering departments at the Admiralty, the Royal Dockyards and on overseeing duties in industrial establishments in the United Kingdom respectively; and to what extent it is the policy of the Admiralty to increase the number of naval officers employed in these departments to supersede civilians.
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§ Mr. W. EdwardsAs regards the first part of the Question, the answer is, none in the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Admiralty, one in the Dockyard Department Headquarters, 12 in home yards and eight on overseeing duties. As regards the second part of the Question, my hon. Friend will be aware from earlier answers that as a corollary to the introduction of the Electrical Branch into the Royal Navy much of the professional work at present allocated to civilian electrical engineers will eventually be performed by naval officers. I am unable at present to say precisely how far this process will go because that question is under discussion with the staff side; but the naval proportion will probably be about two-thirds when the process is completed several years hence.