Ships (Transfer to Foreign Governments) (Hansard, 30 June 1948)

§ 2. Mr. Emrys Hughes
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what naval vessels have been sold to foreign Governments since the war.

Mr. Dugdale
As the answer is necessarily rather long and contains a number of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

§ Mr. Hughes
Would the hon. Gentleman tell us, when these arrangements with foreign Governments are made, if the possibility of selling these old vessels for scrap iron is also taken into account, and if that is weighed up against the possibility that these ships may be used against us in a future war?

Mr. Dugdale
Certainly, that is always taken into account, along with other considerations.

§ Mr. Stokes
If my hon. Friend cannot give the details—and I understand that—can he give us the global amount involved?

Mr. Dugdale
The whole of the details are given in the statement. It is a very long one.

§ Mr. Stokes
I do not want the details; I want the amount.

Mr. Dugdale
Frankly, I cannot give the global amount. It includes a large number of ships of different tonnages, and to add them all together would not make sense.

§ Mr. Donner
If the minimum cruiser strength of 50 is regarded as essential to the safety of this country, and the actual strength is only 34, why should any cruiser be sold to a foreign country?

Mr. Dugdale
That is quite another question.