§ MR. MIDDLEMORE (Birmingham, N.)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty to what extent have the "Téméraire" at Devonport and the "Superb" at Elswick been delayed by the engineering strike, and when are they likely to be commissioned; and, if the Admiralty cannot give assurances 388 that such delays will not occur in future, can ships of future programmes be laid down earlier to meet the probability of such delays.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. MCKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.The "Téméraire" will be delayed six months, and the date for complete commissioning will probably be June, 1909. The contract date for delivery of "Superb" is 4th January next, which date, in view of delays caused by labour troubles, will be exceeded. The question of the amount by which it will be exceeded, and of the date on which the ship will probably commission, are matters still under consideration, and on which no definite reply can at the present moment be given. It is not desirable to anticipate the usual date for giving an outline of the new programme of shipbuilding.
§ MR. MIDDLEMOREThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the latter part of my Question.
§ MR. MCKENNAI have stated that it is not desirable to anticipate the usual date for the production of next year's Navy Estimates.
§ MR. MIDDLEMOREThen I understand that the Admiralty accept with a light heart all delays in the shipbuilding programme?
§ MR. McKENNANo, Sir; the hon. Member must not take that view, for undoubtedly the Admiralty regard it as very serious, and I can assure the hon. Member that it will be taken into account in next year's Estimates.
MR. KEIRHARDIE (Merthyr Tydvil)Could not a clause be inserted preventing employers reducing wages during the currency of a contract?
§ MR. MCKENNAI do not see how that arises out of the Question. I must ask for notice.