§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government why fresh Admiralty contracts with Bailey's have been suspended, and what effect this action will have on employment in the dockyard in Malta; whether payments to Bailey's for the conversion of the dockyard to commercial use have also been suspended; and what proposals they have for preventing the closure of the dockyard.]
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR COLONIAL AFFAIRS (THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNE)My Lords, the interruption of new Admiralty contracts with the Bailey's is an inevitable consequence of the difficulties which have arisen over the operation of the Malta dockyard. My right honourable friend the Colonial Secretary will be making a full statement during the next few days and I must ask your Lordships to await the further information which will then be made available.
§ THE EARL OF LISTOWELMy Lords, may I ask the noble Marquess, as he has not been in a position—which is quite understandable—to answer my Question, whether there will be a simultaneous statement here when his right honourable friend the Secretary of State makes a statement on this subject in another place?
§ THE MARQUESS OF LANSDOWNEYes, my Lords.