§ MR. H. O. ARNOLD-FORSTER (Belfast, W.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether he will introduce a Bill giving power to Her Majesty's Government to exercise the option of purchase in the case of any war-ship constructed in the United Kingdom, whenever such ship is not delivered to the Government, company, or individual by whom it was originally ordered, and is offered to any other State, company, or individual?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE TREASURYCertainly, the Government have no reason to suppose, and I for my part do not believe, that any English firm would refuse to give the option of purchase to the Government if the necessity should arise.