§ Mr. PEARSONasked the President of the Board of Trade bow many shipyards 193W have closed down during the past three years, and in what parts of the country?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am informed that 12 shipyards, mainly on the Clyde and the North-East Coast involving 71 berths and an annual capacity of approximately 500,000 tons have been closed in connection with the scheme for reducing surplus capacity in the industry. A number of other yards are closed for the time being owing to the lack of orders, and I am informed that at the end of December, excluding His Majesty's Dockyards, work was proceeding on only 14 per cent. of the reduced number of shipbuilding berths still available in Great Britain and Ireland.