HC Deb 10 December 1919 vol 122 cc1488-9

Motion made, and Question proposed, That a sum not exceeding £9,975,400, be granted to His Majesty, to defray the expense of the Contract Work for Shipbuilding, Repairs, etc., which will come in course of payment during the year ending on the 31st day of March, 1920, in addition to a sum of £31,880,000 to be allocated for this purpose from the sum of £120,000,000 voted on account of Navy Services generally.

Lieut.-Colonel MALONE

Here, again, I do not think we should pass this Vote without further explanation. I wish to refer to Section (3), Sub-head K—a sum of £850,000 for the purchase of ships. I feel the Committee is justified in asking for some information as to what this sum has been expended on, and if necessary I shall move to reduce the Vote by £100.

Mr. LONG

This particular Vote represents one of the ordinary transactions of the Board of Admiralty in the purchase of fleet auxiliaries. The hon. Member knows as well as I do—and indeed better, because he has served with distinction in the Royal Navy—that it is the business of the Admiralty to find certain auxiliary vessels for the Fleet—to purchase or hire them. It is an item always included in the Estimates for the ordinary services of the Admiralty. I am quite confident that if the hon. Member had not had a desire to expose the Government to certain criticism he would have been quite able to supply himself with the information he has now asked for.

Question put, and agreed to.