§ MR. HUDSON (Newcastle-on-Tyne)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now say whether inquiries have been made respecting the wages paid by Messrs. Armstrong, Whitworth, and Company to employees on H.M.S. "Lord Nelson" at Jarrow and H.M.S. "Invincible" at the Elswick works, Newcastle; and why the standard rate was departed from in the latter case.
§ MR. MCKENNAInquiry is being made, but the Admiralty is not yet in possession of all the facts of the case.
§ * MR. REES (Montgomery Boroughs)Can the rate of wages paid on the construction of battleships matter if the expenditure on the Navy is unproductive?
§ MR. HUDSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the matter has been under consideration for a considerable time?
MR. MCKNENAYes, and we are not yet in possession of all the facts. As soon as we are I will communicate with the hon. Member. I never said the expenditure was unproductive.