§ 11. Mr. GARDNERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the estimated 1935 decrease of £58,700 in the amount of dockyard work to be done on contract-built ships and the £792,062 estimated increase in contract work to be done on contract-built ships, together with the estimated decrease of £282,650 in dockyard work on dockyard-built ships, while contract work on these ships is only estimated to be reduced by £20,094, indicates any change of Government policy with regard to dockyard work and work to be carried out by private firms?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELLThere has been no change in policy with regard to work in the royal dockyards. The policy, as explained in the statement accompanying the Navy Estimates for 1905–6 is:
that the first business of the royal dockyards is to keep the Fleet in repair and accordingly the amount of new construction allotted to those dockyards should be subordinated to this main consideration".
§ Mr. KIRKWOODIs it not the case, comparatively speaking, that as much work is done in the Government dockyards as in private yards?
§ Captain P. MACDONALDIs it not a fact that the work is done much more cheaply in private yards than in the Government yards?