HC Deb 29 November 1933 vol 283 c860
10. Mr. WHYTE

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty where the proposed new cruisers will be built and when the orders will be placed?

The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Lord Stanley)

As stated by my right hon. Friend last Thursday, in reply to the hon. Member for Portsmouth Central (Mr. R. Beaumont), the three cruisers of the revised 1933 programme will be built by contract. The order for the vessel of the Arethusa class will be placed towards the end of the present financial year, and those for the other two vessels will, it is anticipated, be placed about the beginning of July next.

Viscountess ASTOR

Does not the Noble Lord think, as the whole Labour party stands against private enterprise in building armament s, these new cruisers should be built at a national yard, such as Plymouth?

Lord STANLEY

I can assure the Noble Lady that the Government dockyards have sufficient work in hand already.