asked the Minister of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the delay in confirming the new status and conditions of service for apprentice group instructors in the Royal Naval Dockyards.

I hope to make a decision on this question very shortly.

I thank the hon. Gentleman for that reply. Would he not agree that a real sense of grievance is felt by these men, because of the long delay? Will he assure us this afternoon that the decision will be final, and soon?

I realise the problem, but the hon. Gentleman knows that this is a very complicated question. I hope that the decision will, to coin a phrase, be given within a matter of days and not weeks.