§ 37. Mr. FRANCEasked the First Lord of the Admiraty if he can give any particulars of the progress of merchant shipbuilding in the different districts; and at what stage a ship is reported as completed?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAI am afraid that it is not within the scope of a verbal answer to give my hon. Friend the information he asks for, but I shall be pleased to put him 195 in touch with the Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding, where he can see statements of the progress of merchant ship construction, not only district by district, but also yard by yard.
With regard to the second part of the question, a ship is only reported complete when her machinery trials have been proved satisfactory, when the Board of Trade has granted the usual certificate, and when the vessel herself is ready for loading or bunkering.
§ Mr. SHAWWill my right hon. Friend assure us that the Admiralty has an absolutely consistent standard of what constitutes efficiency?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAPart of the answer is an answer in advance to that question.
§ Mr. WATTHas the right hon. Gentleman set up any competition between these various yards and various districts in shipbuilding?
§ Dr. MACNAMARAIf my hon. Friend will accept the invitation I have extended to the hon. Member who asked this question, he will have the fullest information as to what we are doing in that direction.