§ Mr. HARTSHORNasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Shipping Controller how many Government ships and of what tonnage were sold to Lord Inch-cape and at what price; and what the ships so sold are now worth on the market?
Colonel WILSONForty ships of 343,788 tons dead-weight were sold at £25 per ton, less depreciation at 7 per cent, per annum, to Lord Inchcape for distribution. In addition the contracts for 156 ships under construction (of about 1,000,000 tons dead-weight when completed) were transferred, the instalments paid to the builders being refunded. I regret that I am unable to1292W reply to the latter part of the question, as it is not possible to form any estimate as to the terms on which transactions of similar magnitude could be effected at the present time.