§ COMMANDER BETHELL (York, E. R., Holderness)In the absence of the noble Lord the Member for the Ealing Division 1049 of Middlesex, I beg to ask the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty what is the total expenditure in labour by the latest Return upon each of the six large ships (namely, the two battleships, one first class cruiser, and three second class cruisers) comprised in the new building programme of this year?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHThe dockyard expenditure to the 2nd of December has been as follows:— Battleships — Magnificent: Labour, £1,266; materials, £2,473. Majestic: Labour, £853; materials, £l,622. Second-class—Eclipse: Labour, £4,643; materials, £8,599. Talbot: £2,283 and £5,982 respectively; and Minerva: £3,582 and £5,094 — grand total, £36,397. Of these five dockyard ships the estimated provision and present anticipations of expenditure are:—Estimates, £251,451; present anticipation, £269,400. The House will thus see that the estimated expenditure on these dockyard ships will probably be exceeded. The Powerful, first-class cruiser, is to be built by contract. Tenders were invited some time ago. The contract will very soon be settled.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERMay I ask, with regard to the three cruisers referred to in the answer, whether they are the ships referred to in the answers to questions given by the hon. Gentleman on August 17 as having been begun prior to that date?
SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTHI cannot say at a moment's notice, but I am certain that everything I answered was strictly accurate. I say that, because the hon. Member has impugned the accuracy of my answers in a way which I think is unusual in the House, and which I am sure the House generally will not support. The expenditure on the ships begins a considerable time before the keel is laid.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERWhat I want to know is whether the three cruisers—the Eclipse, Talbot, and the Minerva—are those on which in August last the right hon. Gentleman said money had already been expended? Were they commenced at that date?