§ Mr. ASHLEYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, having regard to the fact that the expenditure estimated for during the current financial year on each of the new ships to be laid down in November is only 3.4 per cent. and 3.6 per cent. in excess of the expenditure during the last financial year on the battleship "Neptune," laid down on the 19th January last, it is anticipated that no more work will be done on those vessels within five months of laying down than was done on H.M.S. "Neptune" in half that time?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe provision made in the Navy Estimates for the current year for each of the new dockyard ships to be laid down in November next is approximately twice the provision made in the Estimates for last year for the "Neptune." The circumstances in carrying out a large programme inevitably lead to some items of that programme being accelerated in comparison with that programme and others falling behind in progress. It was the case as regards the "Neptune" that in some items outside the purely shipbuilding operations in the dockyard, particularly in the case of gun-mountings and armour, the work advanced to a stage beyond the provision made.
§ Mr. ASHLEYDo I understand the right hon. Gentleman to state that each of these ships to be laid down in November will have twice the amount of money provided for them as was provided for the "Neptune" laid down on 19th January?
§ Mr. McKENNAYes, that is correct.