HC Deb 10 December 1952 vol 509 cc461-2
41. Mr. Wiley

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the estimated 1952 output of the Wear shipyards.

Mr. J. P. L. Thomas

The Wear shipyards are expected to complete in 1952 about 184,600 gross tons of merchant shipping.

Mr. Willey

Does the right hon. Gentleman now agree with the Wear shipbuilders that this year's output will be the lowest for 13 years? Is he aware that that fact is very disturbing to us in Sunderland?

Mr. Thomas

I must remind the hon. Gentleman that the figures which I have do not bear out the statement which he has just made. The figures for this year which I have given him are, to begin with, higher than those of 1948, and if two ships which were expected to be completed in December had been finished, the completion of which was postponed until next month, the figure for this year would have been higher than for any year since, except 1951.

Mr. Willey

Is the Minister aware that he has previously given a figure to the House that has been corrected by the Wear shipbuilders, who have again stated that the Admiralty are at fault and that this year's output will be the lowest for 13 years? As he says, his present figure does not agree with the figures which the Wear shipbuilders give, but they still maintain it, and they are disturbed at the complacency of the Admiralty.

Mr. Thomas

There is no question of complacency. I stand by the figure I have given to the hon. Gentleman. Two ships expected to be completed in December have been prolonged into the coming month, which brings them into the following year. Otherwise the figure would he that which I gave previously.