§ 16. Mr. Burdenasked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty the estimated cost of building a covered submarine slipway at Rosyth Royal Naval Dockyard; and how many such slipways are to be constructed there.
§ The Civil Lord of the Admiralty (Mr. John Hay)No covered slipways are to be built at Rosyth Royal Naval Dockyard. The question of estimated cost therefore does not arise.
§ Mr. BurdenDoes not my hon. Friend agree that this is a rather odd decision in view of the fact that it was decided that such a slipway should be built at Chatham, and has been built? Presumably it ensured proper working conditions and that men engaged on submarine construction could work under bad weather conditions. If no such slipway is to be built at Rosyth, where we understand construction is to take place in future, the men will be subjected to very great hardship in the yard in the worst winter weather if they have to work in the open.
§ Mr. HaySuch slipways are required only for building submarines and, since we have no intention of building submarines at Rosyth, there is not much point in providing a slipway of this kind there.