§ 73. Colonel Grettonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the decision to commence work on the two dockyard-built "Dido" class cruisers of the 1936 programme at a later date than had been originally intended involves any slowing-up of the Admiralty's programme of new construction?
§ Sir S. HoareNo, Sir. The effect of the decision is that the two cruisers of the "Dido" class in the 1937 pro- 1925 gramme, to be built by contract, will be begun now, when it had originally been intended to begin the dockyard-built ships of the 1936 programme. The latter will be begun later in the year in place of the two 1937 ships. This transposition will not have any adverse effect on the progress of new construction, as the delay in one programme is counterbalanced by acceleration in the other.