§ MR. J. WILLIAMS BENN (Devonport)To ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can state approximately what percentage of the work associated with the building of the proposed battleship in the Royal dockyard at Devonport will be put out to contract; and whether he will issue instructions that, provided the same quality and cheapness of construction can be assured, such parts as stanchions, eye-plates, water-tight doors, block bands, and other fittings shall be produced in the workshops of the Royal dockyards.
(Answered by Mr. Edmund Robertson.) It is estimated that the expenditure on dockyard labour in connection with the building of the proposed new battleship at Devonport will be about 15 per cent. of the total cost. The remaining 85 per cent. represents expenditure on contract work, and includes, not only materials, but guns, gun mountings, armour, propelling machinery, boilers, and auxiliary machinery. As regards the latter part of the Question, the dockyards are not essentially manufacturing 740 establishments, and it is not considered that it will be in the interests of the public service to make any organic change in the practice usually followed in battleship construction. Where, however, it may be expedient, for economic or other reasons, dockyard manufacture is resorted to in preference to obtaining articles by contract.