§ Mr. BROMLEYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the value of Admiralty orders placed with private shipbuilding firms and the value of similar work undertaken in the Royal Dockyard on the instructions of the Admiralty during 1929 and to the last date to which figures are available during 1930; and does he take note, when placing such orders, of the unemployment of men engaged on such work in dockyard towns and in towns in which private shipbuilding yards have been established and equipped for undertaking Admiralty work?
Mr. ALEXANDERThe value of Admiralty orders placed with private shipbuilding firms and with Royal Dockyards during the year 1929 is estimated to be £2,800,000 and £940,300 respectively. The corresponding amounts for ships ordered during the year 1930 up to the present date are £1,650,000 and £1,014,400. Included in the dockyard figures is, of course, the cost of materials purchased 1057W by contract. All relevant factors, including the considerations referred to by my hon. Friend and the desirability of stabilising, so far as practicable, the number of men employed in the Royal Dockyards, are taken into account when deciding on the allocation of work.