§ 46. Sir R. COOPERasked the Prime Minister if he is prepared to appoint a Committee of Members of this House to inquire with the utmost rapidity into the position of British shipbuilding and to afford the Committee, if appointed, the fullest opportunity to investigate the causes of the delay which have been said to have taken place recently, and of recommending methods by which our shipbuilding can be speeded up?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWPerhaps the hon. Baronet will await the statement which the First Lord of the Admiralty proposes to make in the House next week on Vote 8 of the Navy Estimates.
§ 65 and 66. Sir R. COOPERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) if he is satisfied that all the available discharged soldiers who are suitable for work in shipyards at the present time are being supplied to those industries by the Labour Exchanges and other agencies for placing that class in civil employment; (2) if shipyards in this country are being worked to their full capacity; and, if not, have the facts been adequately communicated to the employers and workers in this industry, and are there no further means to stimulate the output of shipbuilding?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Dr. Macnamara)My hon. Friend may rest assured that every effort is being made to utilise to the utmost extent the full capacity of the shipyards in this country, and, as I have stated in the House on several occasions, private yards are being extended so as to give them a greater 471 number of berths and also to provide them with the additional plant necessary for increased output. Down to the 13th March, 151 extension schemes have been sanctioned, involving additions to machinery and plant, extension of some of the existing slips, and the addition of new slips.
As regards the supply of additional labour to the yards, I gave the net additions since 1st October last down to 1st March on Thursday last in the Debate. As regards skilled men returned from the Colours, on the 14th February I told my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham that the War Office had consented to the release of 20,000. I told him also on that date that we, hoped that these numbers would be forthcoming at the rate of 1,000 per week during the latter half of February and onwards. Down to the 12th March, 1,098 skilled men have been released and sent to the yards and shops, and 790 are in the depot awaiting transfer.
§ Sir R. COOPERIs it a. fact, as reported by a responsible ship-owner, that the shipyards are stopping work at twelve o'clock on Saturday, and, having regard to the circumstances, is it not possible to further increase the output of the yards by working later on Saturday and on Sunday?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI do not know about the closing on Saturday. There must be some men engaged, at any rate. But you will not increase the output by keeping men continuously on the stretch.
Mr. H. SAMUELWith respect to the 151 extensions to private shipyards that have been sanctioned, will the right hon. Gentleman say during what period they have been sanctioned, how far back they go, and how many of them have been, in fact, carried into effect?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot answer the first part of that question without notice, but I can answer the latter part. Five have been completed. I can give further information. One hundred and seven have been begun. Eight of them are for extended slips, and forty-four for new slips.
§ Mr. PETOHas the Department formed any estimate as to when any result from these steps that: have been taken to increase the output may be anticipated?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIf my hon. Friend will look at the Official Report of the Debate on Wednesday, I think columns 1071–2, he will find that I did my best to say: Two slips are ready now. Does my hon. Friend refer to the national yards or to these extensions?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid that I cannot answer that question
§ Mr. WATTHas the principle of different ships been suggested to the Department, so that the machinery can be kept going?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI referred to that question in the Debate. We have endeavoured to modify the various standard ships, in order that the capability of the separate individual yards may be fully met.
§ 18. Mr. STEWARTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to a statement recently made by Sir John Ellerman that for a period of thirteen months the whole of the resources of the country had built seventeen steamers, of a gross tonnage of 86,000 tons; and whether he will now give the correct tonnage of shipping built in the period mentioned?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI think my hon. Friend has not covered the whole of Sir John Ellerman's statement. It is quite true that he said at the Chamber of Shipping meeting on 6th March that up to the end of February, or for a period of thirteen months, in which the whole resources of this country have been devoted to new construction, seventeen steamers of 86,000 tons gross have been constructed. He was here, of course, referring only to the standard ships. But he went on to say, and quite rightly, that during the corresponding period the output of vessels constructed by private enterprise amounted to over 1,030,000 tons. As a matter of fact, Sir John was inside the figure, and, of course, to that output must be added the output of Navy tonnage during that time.
§ Mr. STEWARTIs. the right hon. Gentleman quite satisfied that ships launched in November and December were in proper condition for launching, and that they were not put into the water prematurely, thereby giving a better return for the last quarter of the year than was justified?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI cannot say anything about that matter, but the statement attributed to Sir John Ellerman that the total output for the thirteen months Avas 86,000 tons is not a full report of what he did say, because he said in addition that there was 1,030,000 tons constructed under private enterprise.
§ Mr. JOYNSON-HICKSHaving regard to the very serious statement just made by my hon. Friend, will the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiries to be made?
§ Dr. MACNAMARACertainly; if my hon. Friend will put down a question.
§ 69. Colonel Lord HENRY CAVENDISH-BENTINCKasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty whether the Government have commandeered upwards of 650 acres of agricultural Land at Beachley, in Gloucestershire, and the plots on which two blocks of six cottages each, erected toy the Admiralty for the fishermen they evicted on this land, have an area of about one-twenty-sixth part of an acre; whether the dimensions of the third bedroom in each cottage are 6 ft. 7½ ins. by 6 ft. 1½ ins. by 7 ft. 9 ins. high; whether the blocks of cottages are part of a definite and ordered scheme for the development of the land; and whether an assurance can be given that such blocks of cottages will not be repeated over the rest of the estate?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIn connection with the establishment of national shipyards on the Way it was found necessary to take possession of certain agricultural land. The actual area taken possession of at Beachley is 580 acres. It was decided to erect two blocks of six cottages each in order to provide accommodation for fishermen who formerly possessed houses on this land. These cottage were built as a special case by the Admiralty, after consultation with the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries, in order that these fishermen might, in the national interests, be kept within reasonable reach of their fishing ground. The area of the land on which these two blocks will be built allows for twenty-six cottages to the acre. The dimensions of the third bedroom in each cottage are as stated, but this provides three bedrooms as against two in the former cottages. The other rooms are in every respect larger than those in the houses which the fishermen were formerly occupying. In addition, bathrooms and larders have been provided. I am sending 474 my Noble Friend a statement showing the comparison between the new and the old buildings.
Lord H. CAVENDISH-BENTINC.KThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last part of the question: Will he give an assurance that any future building will be on a more enlightened principle and a better lay-out than has been the case in the past?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAWithout going into the question of a more enlightened principle, I may say that this was emergency work. We were very anxious that the men, when they came back from the salmon fishing on the 1st March, should find houses ready for them. It is a self-contained transaction. We shall certainly adopt any larger scale, if necessary, beginning afresh and not following this scheme.