§ 8. Mr. CLARRYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, having regard to the abnormally high percentage of unemployment in private ship-repair yards, affecting a large variety of trades in Newport and similarly situated ports, he will consider giving special preferences to such ports for regular Admiralty repair work, seeing that it is of national interest that the highly skilled work of ship repairing should be maintained even during difficult times in a state of efficiency at suitable ports throughout the country?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the BOARD of ADMIRALTY (Sir Victor Warrender)All repairs to His Majesty's ships are normally carried out in the Royal Dockyards, which are specially equipped and maintained for that purpose, and there can be no question of a general departure from this established peace-time practice. Ship-repairing firms in the Newport Area will be carefully borne in mind, however, should suitable opportunities occur for carrying out repair work within their capacity.
§ Mr. CLARRYCan I have an answer to the second part of my question?
§ Sir V. WARRENDERI can understand the hon. Member's concern for the welfare of his constituents, and I thought that I had covered that part of the question in the latter part of my reply.