HC Deb 05 June 1918 vol 106 c1551
7. Mr. ANDERSON

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Admiralty national shipyards are to be operated entirely by naval or military labour; whether civilian labour is to be dispensed with; and whether it is the view of the Admiralty that the work can be done successfully under these conditions?

Dr. MACNAMARA

As my hon. Friend knows, the actual construction of the yards themselves is being carried out by Royal Engineers and German prisoners. I am glad to say that all these operations are in a very forward state. Before we come, as we shall do very soon, to the question of actual ship construction, the problem of the manning of the yards will have to be finally determined. And I. can assure my hon. Friend that it has for some time past been the subject of very careful consideration amongst us.