§ 23. Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much money has been spent to date 1774 on the new naval base at Singapore; when the work is now expected to be finished; and what the total cost is now estimated to be on the completion of the base?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe expenditure to date is £422,287. It is anticipated that the work will be completed in 1937. The total estimated cost of the work is £7,750,000.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYWas the question of this base discussed at Geneva, and could not the altered circumstances which led to the abandonment of two cruisers this year lead also to the retardation of this expenditure?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANNo, Sir, the question was not discussed at Geneva.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYCould the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of my supplementary question?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI did not hear it.
§ Lieut.-Commander KENWORTHYI asked whether, in view of the First Lord's statement a little time ago that he was hopeful of agreement and had therefore dropped out two cruisers from his programme, he could not retard this expenditure as well?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI do not think I could say as to that. As a matter of fact the work has been retarded, mainly owing to certain circumstances which have made the preliminary work take longer than we thought to carry out. I have certainly never suggested at Geneva or elsewhere that there is any reason for abandoning this proposal.