§ 47. Mr. WILKIEasked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the number of vessels, other than warships, required to attend on the ships of the Navy during the War, and the apparent necessity for the safety of the country to still maintain an efficient fleet, and in view of the sums expended on the national shipyards and the views of the trade union representatives of the National Industrial Conference of the 27thFebruary last in favour of the development of national resources under public ownership, he will consider the advisability of the Government retaining these yards for the purpose at least of constructing these auxiliary vessels required and which need not compete with the ordinary yards, seeing that in the case of trawlers and drifters in ordinary times they could be utilised to reap the harvest of the seas and the fish so caught used to supply the needs of the men of the Navy and Army?
§ Mr. BONAR LAWAll the points raised in the question were carefully considered by the Government, and we are not pre pared to reopen the question.