Mr. HORE-BELISHasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that the Admiralty are placing large orders with private firms for shipbuilding and thus reducing the amount of work going to His Majesty's dockyards, he can make it a condition, when giving contracts to private firms, that they shall absorb some portion of the discharged men from His Majesty's dockyards should these men be disposed to take up the employment?
§ Lieut.-Colonel HEADLAMIt is not a fact that the Admiralty are giving a greater proportion of work to private firms than formerly. In view of the unemployment which prevails in the shipbuilding industry generally, the hon. Member's suggestion is not one which the Admiralty could in fairness adopt.