FLEET BUILDING PROGRAMME (Hansard, 10 November 1948)

§ EARL BEATTY
My Lords, I beg to ask His Majesty's Government the question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (VISCOUNT HALL)
My Lords, there has been no alteration in the building programme published in the Navy Estimates for 1948–49.

§ EARL BEATTY
My Lords, whilst thanking the noble Viscount for his reply—and I am sure noble Lords on this side will be relieved to hear it—I should like to ask him whether the contracts on the light fleet carriers "Leviathan," "Powerful" and "Hercules" and the cruiser "Defence" have not been suspended; and, if not, whether he can assure us that work is proceeding on those ships. In view of the fact that the light fleet carriers were launched three years ago, and the cruiser four years ago, can the noble Viscount give us any indication as to when they are likely to be completed?

§ VISCOUNT HALL
My Lords, as the noble Earl will realise, there were a number of ships under construction at the end of the war. His Majesty's Government then had to decide which ships should be proceeded with and which ships should be scrapped. In the Naval Estimates of last year there was a list of ships upon which work is proceeding. The possibilities are that some work has been suspended. During the war, however, a good deal of information was obtained which had to be placed at the disposal of the Admiralty before new machinery was put in the modern ships. Whilst it may be true that 318 some of the constructional work on the ships which have been launched has been suspended, work is proceeding both in relation to the preparation of machinery and the preparation of guns.
Of course, it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to complete the ships, but we have to use to the best advantage the money which is available to us. The possibilities are that there may be some suspension of the constructional side, but as to the intention of His Majesty's Government in relation to completion there can be no doubt.

§ EARL BEATTY
The first Lord has not answered my last question, which was: Can he give us any indication as to when these ships will be completed?

§ VISCOUNT HALL
I really cannot. There is a considerable amount of research going on at the present time, and we want the most modern ships. Unless we apply to these ships the results of research which are daily becoming available to us, then the ships will not be as serviceable as they might be in a modern Navy.

§ LORD LLEWELLIN
My Lords, do I understand that the policy of the Government and of the Admiralty is to complete these ships, and that any Press reports to the contrary are therefore misleading? Do I understand that these ships will, in due course, be proceeded with, and that they will become part of the Royal Navy? Of course, if they are held up only because of some modernisation which necessarily must take place, that is understandable. But are we to understand that the four ships mentioned are to be completed in due course and to become units of the Royal Navy?

§ VISCOUNT HALL
My Lords, if it had been the intention that those ships should be scrapped, they would have been scrapped years before now. I think I made it quite clear in the reply I gave to the noble Earl that it was the intention of His Majesty's Government to complete them at some time; when, I cannot say. Much depends upon utilising the knowledge which we have and the money which is available.

§ VISCOUNT SWINTON
I am sorry to press the noble Viscount. I appreciate that there is no target date, and that the ships may not be completed for years. 319 The noble Viscount has given two reasons for this: first, that we need to apply the most modern research and, secondly, the restrictions of finance. But can we be assured that any delay in the completion of these ships is due to the application of the latest scientific knowledge, and not to financial restrictions?

§ VISCOUNT HALL
I would not like to answer categorically the question put by the noble Viscount. After all, there is a limited amount of money. We have a number of ships in reserve, and it is for the Board of Admiralty to decide as to how this money is to be spent. What I can do is to promise noble Lords that in the event of His Majesty's Government deciding to scrap these ships, I will, of course, keep the House informed. As to when these ships can be completed, it is difficult to say, for the two reasons which I have given.

§ EARL BEATTY
My Lords, I am bound to say that the noble Viscount's reply is not very satisfactory. I hope that he will give us his personal assurance that he will see to the best of his ability that they are completed.

§ VISCOUNT HALL
I would ask noble Lords to give to the Board of Admiralty that amount of confidence which both Houses generally give. What more can I say, in the light of the tremendous changes which have taken place in the design of fighter aircraft and machines of that type? I have gone quite as far as noble Lords can expect me to go in this matter, and I am afraid that I cannot go beyond what I have already said.