§ 8. Mr. CLARRYasked the President of the Board of Trade the approximate loss in British shipping tonnage and the value of ship repair work which has been placed in foreign yards during the past two years which normally would have been carried out in this country: and the approximate number of workmen normally engaged in this industry who are in consequence unemployed?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEThere is no obligation to report the cases in which ships are repaired or reconditioned abroad, and it is not possible, therefore, to give even approximate figures which would be more than the merest conjecture.
§ Mr. CLARRYWould not the diversion of British ships back to British yards have a far-reaching effect on trade and employment, without any dislocation of the shipping industry, and do the Government contemplate taking any steps to solve this problem?
§ Sir P. LLOYD-GREAMEUndoubtedly the transfer of work now done abroad in reconditioning ships to British yards would be a most admirable thing, but I think the possibility of that rests rather with all sections of the trade concerned than with His Majesty's Government.