§ 33. Sir EVAN JONESasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in the event of Pembroke Dockyard being leased to a private firm, it will be a condition of the lease that the yard shall be maintained continuously at work for the period of the lease to the extent at least of its full pre-war normal capacity as deter-mined by the number of men employed; whether, if at any period enough private work Will not be available to ensure this, the Admiralty will provide sufficient Government work to enable the lessees to carry out the provisions of the lease in this respect; and if he will state what is the minimum term of the proposed lease?
§ Mr. LONGIn the event referred to, it would be proposed to make it a condition of the lease that the lessee should take over our present employees, to be subject thereafter to the usual conditions of wages and service ruling in the industry under private management—less, of course, those established men who may be transferred to other dockyards. It is not proposed to make provision for the contingency referred to in the second part of the hon. Member's question; the terms of the lease are not yet settled, but the period would not be less than 21 years.