HC Deb 16 June 1948 vol 452 cc429-30
43. Commander Pursey

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when the aircraft carrier now building at Messrs. Harland and Wolff's Yard, Belfast, will be launched.

Mr. Dugdale

H.M.S. "Bulwark," a Light Fleet Carrier, will be launched on Tuesday, 22nd June, 1948, by Her Excellency the Countess Granville, at the shipbuilding and engineering works of Messrs. Harland and Wolff Limited, Belfast. H.M.S. "Bulwark" embodies all the features described when the launching of H.M.S. "Centaur," her sister ship, was announced in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for the Queen's University of Belfast (Professor Savory) on 16th April, 1947.

Sir R. Ross

Has not this delay in part been caused by the abnormal shortage of steel to which this yard has been subjected?

Mr. Dugdale

No, Sir. The programme is being carried out according to plan, and I think it is of interest to those people who say that nothing is being done for the Navy to know that these ships are in fact being launched today.

Lieut.-Commander Braithwaite

To whom are they going to be sold?