§ 46. Mr. MANDERasked the Prime Minister if he will give an assurance that the recently announced cruiser-building programme does not mean that in future the United States will be regarded as a potential enemy of Britain or that any naval building undertaken by her will be met by naval building by this country?
§ The PRIME MINISTEROur naval building programme is not directed against any particular country. With regard to the second part of the question, any future building undertaken will be decided upon by His Majesty's Government in relation to all the circumstances of the situation.
§ Mr. MANDERDo I understand that the United States is not taken into consideration as a potential enemy in any naval building that we undertake
§ Commander MARSDENIs it not a fact that the building programme not 264 only of the United States but of this country comes strictly within the London Naval Treaty
§ The PRIME MINISTERThat is so.
§ 56. Mr. RALPH BEAUMONTasked the First Lord of the Admiralty where the cruisers of the revised 1933 programme will be built?
The FIRST LORD of the ADMIRALTY (Sir Bolton Eyres Monsell)All three cruisers will be built by contract, it being now clear that the dockyards will have as much work as they can do in other directions.
§ Mr. MACLEANMay I ask whether it is the intention of the Admiralty to place one of these cruisers when completed, particularly a high-speed cruiser, at the official disposal of Scotland?
§ Mr. THORNEIs the statement that the dockyards are in full working order made in accordance with the full strength of the days gone by?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLI have said that the men in the dockyards will have as much work as they can do.