§ 27. Major HORE-BELISHAasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in order to relieve unemployment in Devon-port, which is due to the fact that many less men are employed in the dockyard than before the War and that there is no alternative industry in the neighbourhood, he can arrange for steel houses to be constructed in the dockyard which would result in a saving to the taxpayer by the absorption of the unemployed and at the same time relieve the housing shortage in Devonport?
Mr. DAVIDSONI regret that the hon. Member's suggestion is not practicable as the Royal Dockyards are not equipped for the construction of steel houses as a business proposition, and moreover such work could not be undertaken without seriously interfering with the progress of the work on His Majesty's ships building and repairing in the dockyards.
§ Major HORE-BELISHAIs the hon. Member aware that there is very considerable unemployment, and that this could be relieved by building cruisers or steel houses? Will he, at any rate, build something?
§ Mr. BUCHANANIs the hon. Member aware that on the Clyde a firm which was engaged in similar work are now building steel houses in a productive factory similar to that at Devonport? In view of that, will he go into the question again and see if what is accomplished on the Clyde can be accomplished at Devonport?