§ Mr. Gallacherasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the amount of tonnage under construction in Scottish shipyards; what is the amount of tonnage on order but not yet under construction; and what tonnage has been ordered in Scottish yards from 1st January of this year to the latest available date with comparative figures for the same period last year.
§ Mr. W. EdwardsThe gross tonnage of merchant vessels of 100 gross tons and over under construction in Scottish shipyards on 31st October, 1949, was 727,060. The gross tonnage on order but not yet under construction on the same date was 536,955. New orders for merchant vessels of 100 gross tons and over licensed between 1st January and 31st October, 1949, to be built in Scottish yards totalled 113,250 gross tons. The corresponding figure for the same period of 1948 was 512,665 gross tons, of which orders for two tankers totalling 21,500 gross tons were subsequently cancelled.