asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many apprentices completed their training in His Majesty's Dockyard, Devonport, during the year 1928; and how many of these have been retained in Devonport Dockyard as hired men since completing their apprenticeship?

Sixty-four apprentices completed their training, and they were all retained as hired men.

May we take this figure as representing a change of policy on the part of the Admiralty, and may we have some assurance that the policy pursued in 1928 will be continued?

I do not know that there is any change of policy.

Previously, they were discharged.

Not invariably; they were retained when occasion arose.