§ 61. Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for Defence how many workmen are now employed in operating the floating dock in Malta; what is the average number of men engaged in repairs on vessels using this dock; and what steps are being taken to absorb them in the dockyard without displacing other workmen.
§ Mr. HayThe crew employed by the Navy Department, which operates the floating dock, consists of five civilian officers and four chargemen who are United Kingdom based, and 76 Maltese chargemen and workmen.
The average number of Malta Dry Dock employees engaged in repairing ships using the dock is about 200, whom I understand the firm will continue to employ when their new graving dock replaces the floating dock.
As the whole Naval Base at Malta is being reduced, the disposal of the floating dock will inevitably mean a 57W corresponding reduction in the number employed, but those discharged as redundant will not necessarily be the men employed on the dock owing to the operation of the redundancy rules and the prior rights of established men.