§ MR. WHITLEY (Halifax)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty can he state the number of ships to be broken up under the naval reorganisation scheme, together with their first cost, and the amount subsequently spent on them in repairs.
THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. PRETYMAX, Suffolk, Woodbridge)The hon. Member for Dundee is moving for a Return which substantially covers the information asked for, and which will be better given in that form than in answer to a Question, as the figures will take some time to prepare.
§ MR. WHITLEYWill the hon. Member add to the Return the amount subsequently spent on these ships for repairs.
§ MR. PRETYMANThe Return of the hon. Member for Dundee does not ask for the total amount, but only for the sum spent on large substantial repairs, and it would entail great labour to get out the whole cost of repairs as some of the vessels are of great age.
† See page 591.
MR. GIBSON BOWLES (Lynn Regis)Will the hon. Member add to the Return a statement of the dates at which these ships were found to be non-effective.
§ MR. PRETYMANThe date would be the date when they were ordered to be placed on the sale list.
§ MR. BUCHANAN (Perthshire, E.)But without really increasing the labour could not the Return give the total amount spent on repairs? The ships are not of such very great age.
§ MR. PRETYMANI will consider that.
§ MR. WHITLEYIf I can get the repairs for the last ten years I shall be satisfied. Put the term "large substantial repairs" is too vague.
§ MR. PRETYMANI will communicate with the hon. Member on the subject.