HC Deb 25 March 1914 vol 60 cc350-1
8. Mr. ARTHUR LEE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number and names of completed ships of the "Dreadnought" type that Great Britain will have in Home waters on the 1st of July, 1914, on the 1st of July, 1915, and on the 1st of July, 1916; and the, number and names of completed ships of the "Dreadnought" type that will be possessed by Germany, Austria, and Italy, respectively, at the same dates?

Mr. CHURCHILL

I must refer the hon. Member to the Return standing in the name of my right hon. Friend the Member for North St. Pancras for the numbers and names of completed "Dreadnoughts." The number which will be in Home waters on the dates mentioned will depend on circumstances.

Mr. LEE

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Return in question gives no indication as to the dates of completion of ships, and therefore does not give the information which I desire? Further, is he aware that I am only asking him to bring up to date the information which he gave in answer to a question by my Noble Friend the Member for Portsmouth (Lord C. Beresford) a year ago? May I also ask on what grounds he has given similar information to an hon. Member sitting behind him, the Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for War (Mr. G. P. Collins), whilst refusing to give that information to one sitting on this side of the House?

Mr. CHURCHILL

It is certainly not my desire to discriminate at all between Members on this side and Members of the other side of the House. If the hon. Gentleman will furnish me with the question and answer of my hon. Friend who sits behind me I will compare them with his question, and see whether it is proper and fitting that similar information should be given him. I make no distinction in that matter at all. With regard to the general question, I must in the main assert the sufficiency of the documents circulated in the regular course by Return to the House for dealing with the progress of foreign fleets. I supplement that to as full an extent as possible from time to time when statements on the Navy Estimates are made. When the time comes for a further statement on the Navy Estimates I will deal fully with the topic in which the hon. Member very properly takes an interest.

Mr. LEE

Has the right hon. Gentleman any objection to bringing up to date the information which he afforded last year in answer to a precisely similar question, in order that we may have the facts before us prior to the Debate?

Mr. CHURCHILL

I have some objection to committing myself to the dates when ships will be finished. Sometimes, if I take a sanguine view, it is found to be falsified; if, on the other hand, I indicate that certain delays have occurred, it gives more information to foreign countries about the progress of our ship-building than we are able to obtain from any foreign parliament with regard to their progress.