§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, in all other maritime countries, before new vessels are ordered, estimates of the expenditure involved in their construction and armament are submitted to and approved by Parliament; and why in recent years the House has been refused similar information, costly ships being laid down without any particulars of first cost being given?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer to the first part of the Noble Lord's question is in the negative. The practice adopted in this as well as in some other countries appears to be that which is most in the public interest.
§ Mr. CHIOZZA MONEYasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state, for the United Kingdom and for the German Empire respectively, the expenditure on new naval construction for each of the years 1904–5 to 1910–11 respectively, and the increase per cent. in this respect in 1910–11 as compared with 1904–5 for each of these countries?
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§ Mr. McKENNAThe increase per cent. in expenditure on new naval construction between the years 1904–05 and 1910–11 was:
United Kingdom … 16 per cent. Germany … 166 per cent. The expenditure for each of the years referred to is as follows:—
United Kingdom:— 1904–5 £11,263,019 1905–6 £ 9,688,044 1906–7 £ 8,861,897 1907–8 £ 7,832,589 1908–9 £ 7,406,930 1909–10 £ 9,597,551 1910–11 £13,063,874 (probable expenditure) Germany.—The amounts appear in the Cameron Corbett (late Thomasson) Re-turn, and are:—
1904–5 … … £ 4,275,489 1905–6 … … £ 4,720,206 1906–7 … … £ 5,167,319 1907–8 … … £ 5,910,959 1908–9 … … £ 7,795,499 1909–10 … … £10,177,062 1910–11 … … £11,392,856