§ 11.4 a.m.
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. C. Ian Orr-Ewing)Mr. Speaker, I observe from HANSARD of 3rd April, Column 439, that during Question Time shortly before the Budget, when the noise level in the House was very high, I misheard a supplementary question put by the hon. Member for Motherwell (Mr. Lawson). I was under the impression that he said "proportionately", whereas he is recorded as having said "disproportionately". I would like the opportunity of setting this matter right. If, amongst the hubbub, I had heard him correctly I would not have replied "Yes, Sir": I would have replied, "I will bear in mind Scotland's special position, but the amount of naval shipbuilding orders firms win, outside the submarine field, must depend primarily on the prices they quote in reply to Admiralty tenders."