§ 86. Mr. Awberyasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of oil-tankers now under construction in this country; how far the work is being interrupted because of a shortage of steel; and for what countries these vessels are being built.
§ Mr. DigbyNinety-seven commercial tankers are under construction in this country of which 61 are for owners in the United Kingdom, 21 for Norway, 6 for Greece, 3 for the United States, 1 for Italy and 5 for Panama. The shortage of steel for shipbuilding is affecting the rate of construction of both tankers and other types of merchant shipping but no case where work has been seriously interrupted through steel shortage is known to me.