§ Mr. ADAMSONasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether H.M.S. "Furious," undergoing extensive repairs at Rosyth, is to be removed elsewhere for the repairs to be completed; if so, whether he is aware that this will involve making the ship seaworthy and then stripping it again, and that the material for the repairs at Rosyth will also have to be removed; and whether, in the interests of economy, the work now commenced at Rosyth will be completed there?
§ Mr. AMERYThe answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. H.M.S. "Furious" is, however, in hand for reconstruction as well as for repairs. Only such work as is necessary for her safe removal will be carried out. The cost of this work will be small in comparison with the additional expense which would be necessary to complete the work at Rosyth in a reasonable time. The latter course would involve maintaining that dockyard on a scale which would 847W absorb most of the savings resulting from the contemplated reduction of the establishment. It is solely in the interests of economy that the vessel is being removed.