§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty, why the cost of the "Invincible," as given in the White Paper, Cd. 3048, issued last session, is now increased from £1,736,645 to £1,744,055; and whether he can explain why this vessel building at Elswick is to cost £34,145 more than a sister ship building on the Clyde.
§ MR. EDMUND ROBERTSONThe Answer to the first part of the Question is that the lower figure included sums which were not finally determined at the time the estimate was made, whereas the higher figure represents a contract price. As regards the second part, there are slight differences in the arrangement of details of the ships building on the Tyne and Clyde which contribute to a variation in price.