§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty 438 whether he is aware that the French Budget Commission calculate that 70 per cent. of the French expenditure on new construction is returned to the country in wages and payments for goods made in the country; and whether he can give an approximate calculation of a similar character for British expenditure on new construction.
§ * THE SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. EDMUND ROBERTSON,) DundeeI have not seen the calculation to which the hon. Member refers, and, as regards British expenditure, I am advised that, while it is impossible to make an exact calculation, it is believed that much more than 70 per cent. of the expenditure on new construction is returned to the country in the way indicated. In the case of Navy Votes as a whole, the proportion so returned would be even higher.