§ 5. Mr. Osborneasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many ships are being built in this country as a result of the orders negotiated by the Soviet Minister, Kabanov, in 1954, which listed 126 ships being wanted at an estimated value of £120 millions; and, since many of these ships were not on the strategic list, what steps he is taking to encourage British shipbuilders to undertake these Soviet orders in the interests of the export trade.
§ Mr. DigbyMr. Kabanov, Soviet Minister of Foreign Trade, did not negotiate orders but presented a list of ships in which his Government were interested. Some British firms would be glad to build certain types and are still in touch with Moscow, but the Russian Government have not as yet placed orders. The attention of the shipbuilding industry has been drawn to the advantages of negotiating Russian orders.