§ MR. FELL (Great Yarmouth)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty if the usual average amount of new work has been placed with Messrs. White's yard at Cowes during the present year; and if about 700 men will be out of work very shortly at East Cowes owing to the lack of Admiralty work.
§ MR. MCKENNAI cannot recognise that the term "average" is applicable to the allocation of Government work to private yards. The placing of Government orders must depend upon considerations of price and quality. I have no information which would enable me to reply to the last part of the Question.
§ MR. MCKENNAI have not the figures. I will inquire.