§ 9. Colonel DAYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many ships are at present in course of building, either in the Royal Dockyards or in the yards of private shipbuilding firms; and can he give the estimated expenditure separately for hulls, machinery, and labour in both cases?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Bridgeman)With regard to the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to the question from the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha) on the first of this month (OFFICIAL REPORT, cols. 732–4). I am not clear exactly what the hon. and gallant Member requires as regards the latter part of his question, since labour enters into the cost of hulls and machinery; but I would refer him to the programme appended to the Navy 2288 Estimates, 1927, which contains in considerable detail estimates of cost of ships under construction under a number of heads, including hulls, machinery, and dockyard labour.
§ Colonel DAYCan the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is the fact that 23 ships have been laid down in private shipyards and only 10 in Royal Dockyards; and why more work is not given to the Royal Dockyards?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe second part of the hon. Member's question is profoundly different from anything in his main question, but, if he will do the Admiralty the honour to look at the answer, he will see where the ships are and be able to count up for himself.