asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many shipwright dilutees have been dismissed from Her Majesty's dockyards; how many have been employed in other jobs by the Admiralty; and how many Royal Navy shipwrights and shipwrights from private yards have been taken on the strength.

Forty-nine dilutee shipwrights have been discharged from the Royal Dockyards since 1st January this year. During this period 141 dilutee shipwrights have been reverted and re-employed in other jobs, while 87 ex-naval shipwrights and 62 shipwrights from private yards have been entered.

Does not my hon. Friend consider it very undesirable to have this grade of shipwright dilutees? It is very difficult for the men. They achieve a certain standard and those who have been reverted are now getting at least £4 or £5 a week less. Cannot my hon. Friend consult the trade unions and ensure that this does not happen in future?

I have a certain amount of sympathy with my hon. Friend's point of view and that of her constituents, but the agreement which allowed dilutees to be employed in the first instance provided for their discharge or reversion whenever time-served craftsmen became available. The Admiralty is bound by that agreement.

Has this procedure received the consent and agreement of the trade union section of the Admiralty Industrial Council?

I should like notice of of that question.