§ 5. Mr. Willeyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how the tonnage of shipping completed in United Kingdom shipyards this year compares with the tonnage completed in the corresponding period last year.
§ Mr. T. G. D. GalbraithApproximately 455,000 tons of shipping were completed up to the end of April, 1958, compared with 417,877 tons in the corresponding period last year.
§ Mr. WilleyWhile appreciating the difficulty of making any comparison, a ship being a very large item itself, nevertheless would the hon. Gentleman do his best to see that everything possible is done to obtain the utmost completion in present 1196 circumstances? Is he aware that it is essential that in the present state of world competition we should get the highest completion rate possible?
§ Mr. GalbraithI agree with the hon. Gentleman. I think that, in the difficult times that lie ahead, unless we can reduce our order books we will not be able to get the orders when they come along.