§ 19. Sir B. FALLEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware of the continued discharge of competent boiler-makers and skilled labourers from the boiler-maker's shop at the dockyard, Portsmouth; and if he will reconsider the decision not to build boilers for new construction in the Royal yards, seeing that boilers have been successfully built at Portsmouth?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. There is no such general decision as that referred to in the second part: the existing policy is that the Royal yards are asked to tender for suitable boiler construction along with private firms.
§ Sir B. FALLECan the Financial Secretary say why these men are being put out of the yard if there is any possibility of their being employed on naval construction?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMThe principal dockyards were given an opportunity of tendering for the manufacture of these boilers for certain cruisers of the 1927 programme. Prices were not favourable, and it was not economically possible to place orders in the dockyards. The matter will be investigated again when new contracts are given out.