§ 23. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what tenders were made by British firms for 334 twenty merchant ships now being constructed in Poland for Indonesia.
§ Mr. T. G. D. GalbraithBritish shipbuilders are not required to report to the Admiralty what inquiries they receive to quote for building merchant ships. I regret, therefore, that the information is not available.
§ Mr. ChetwyndAt a time when fifteen times as much tonnage is being placed by British shipowners with foreign shipbuilding works, as compared with the 1 per cent. which is coming here from foreign owners, is not it time that the Admiralty took a much more determined line about this and did its utmost to help our shipyards to obtain work, such as these orders in Poland?
§ Mr. GalbraithI really do not quite know what the hon. Gentleman is getting at. The Admiralty is extremely interested in helping the shipbuilding industry. All I said was that the shipbuilding industry does not have to report to the Admiralty any inquiries it receives, and therefore, to that extent, I cannot answer the Question.