§ 46. Mr. HORE-BELISHAasked the Prime Minister whether he has any announcement to make about the 1928 programme of naval construction?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI would refer the hon. Member to the statement on this subject which I made yesterday.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAHas the Prime Minister now looked into the figures, and 1469 can he give any indication of the amount of unemployment that is likely to be caused by his decision; can he further say why the Royal dockyards are to bear the whole brunt of these reductions, and all the contracts placed with private firms are to remain and only dockyard ships are to be taken out of the programme?
§ The PRIME MINISTERI think the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's question is inaccurate. Private dockyards will also have to bear their share. So far as the figures are concerned, I have looked into them with the Committee specially charged to examine them, and the amount of unemployment which will result will, we hope, be practically negligible.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the only work which remains to the dockyards is one submarine and two sloops, whereas practically the whole of the work placed with the private firms will remain; and is it the policy of the Government to send all national work to the private yards?
§ The PRIME MINISTERNo, it is not the policy of the Government to do that, as will be shown when the full scheme is disclosed. The saving of unemployment in the dockyards is going to be effected by a reorganisation of the work.
Mr. MACLEANIs it not the case that many of the private yards have been specially equipped in order to meet the Government's requirements, and are they not entitled to a fair share of any Government work that is going?
Viscountess ASTORMay I ask the right hon. Gentleman just to remember that it is rather difficult for some of us—