§ 12. Mr. ALBERYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty which were the principal naval establishments on the Mediterranean station recently inspected by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty; and what was the principal object of this inspection?
§ The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Mr. A. V. Alexander)My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary visited the naval establishments at Malta and Gibraltar in order to acquaint himself personally with the local conditions obtaining there.
§ Mr. ALBERYMay I ask whether this visit was made in company with the Secretary of State for War, and whether it had any reference to the proposals to base the Mediterranean Fleet on home ports?
§ Mr. ALEXANDERNo, Sir.
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAIs it intended to cut down the dockyards at Malta and Gibraltar?
§ Mr. ALEXANDERI have nothing to add to what I have said. The Parliamentary Secretary visited these naval establishments in order to acquaint himself with the local conditions.
§ Mr. ALBERYWill the right hon. Gentleman answer the first part of my question, as to whether the Parliamentary Secretary was accompanied by the War Office representative?
§ Mr. ALEXANDERYes.
§ Captain CROOKSHANKWhat did the trip cost?
§ Mr. KIRKWOODDoes that mean, supposing that there is no work to do in the dockyards, that the men will not be discharged into poverty but into comfort? Are the Government going to see to that?
§ Mr. ALEXANDERI do not think that arises out of the question or the reply.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODThat is for Mr. Speaker to decide.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a point for me, and the right hon. Gentleman took the words out of my mouth.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODBut, arising out of the reply: Are these men going to be discharged and no provision made for them to live? Are they simply going to be thrown on the scrap heap in the same way as 600 men have been thrown out at Beardmore's at Parkhead just lately by a Labour Government? [Interruption.] Yes, but we are up against hard facts, and I am not going to sit here—[Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member knows quite well that that is not the way to behave in the House.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODOn a point of Order. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member's question does not arise out of the question on the Order Paper.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODThat is for you to say, but I have a right, when I put a question, to get an answer, and it is your duty, Sir, to see that I get an answer. [Interruption.]
§ Mr. SPEAKERI am not going to have any controversy with the hon. Member. He really must obey the Rules of the House.
§ Mr. KIRKWOODI am supposed to have some judgment as well as you.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member's supplementary question did not arise out of either the original question or the reply.