§ Mr. MIDDLEMOREI beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty, with a view to maintaining in working order the warship building appliances in this country, will His Majesty's Government consider the possibility of affording the Thames Ironworks and Shipbuilding Company an opportunity of building some of the vessels in this year's programme, one of the four conditional "Dreadnoughts" for preference, at the earliest possible moment? Perhaps I may be allowed to say that I have no connection with this company.
§ Mr. McKENNAI never supposed that the hon. Member had any connection with the company. The Thames Ironworks Company will be invited to tender for such contract work as it is considered the firm is capable of undertaking.