§ 78. Mr. Martenasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether British shipyards are still invited to tender for the construction of the four oceangoing minesweepers; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. HealeyAn invitation to tender for four ocean minesweepers in the 291W United States Navy's shipbuilding programme for the Fiscal Year 1966, was withdrawn in May, 1966, due to a change in design. The United States Navy has not yet settled its building programme for minesweepers for the current United States Fiscal Year or future years but we have been assured that British shipyards will be invited to tender.