§ 9. Mr. HOLTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportion the warship construction for the first six months of 1918 bears to that for the first six months of 1917?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIt is manifestly not in the public interest to give the information.
§ Mr. HOLTWill the right hon. Gentleman consider in what form he can publish a comparative statement of the total work done in the shipbuilding yards, so that we may know what they are doing?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAMy hon. Friend knows that year by year we have published not detailed information—we cannot 1029 do that—but a summary in the Appropriation Account. Further, the whole of the details in question are in the hands of the Comptroller and Auditor-General for publication at the right time.
§ Mr. HOLTMy right hon. Friend misapprehends. Is there not published monthly a comparative statement of merchant shipbuilding construction in the yards? He does not publish a comparative statement of warship construction at the same time, so that one may know how things are going on.
§ Dr. MACNAMARAThat is perfectly true. I am afraid it is inevitable. We only give new merchant output. It would not be in the public interest to say how much naval construction and repair work is going on at the same time. I see no way out of that.
§ Colonel W. THORNECan the right hon. Gentleman say what the solid objections is to national shipyards?