HC Deb 09 April 1941 vol 370 c1557
33. Sir P. Hurd

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the cost of constructing a 5,000-ton merchant ship to-day as compared with the pre-war cost in 1938?

Mr. Alexander

For any merchant ship completing at the present time, the cost is about 20 per cent. higher than in 1938.