§ Commander BELLAIRSasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can state, in terms of modern designs and the Washington Conference limitations of 35,000 tons for a battleship and 27,000 tons for an aircraft carrier, what is their relative cost fully manned; and what is the number of aeroplanes the latter can carry, assuming equal protection against air-bomb attack?
§ Mr. AMERYWith regard to the first part of the question, neither design is yet complete, and it is, therefore, not possible to state the relative cost of these vessels when manned. With regard to the second part of the question, it is not in the public interest to give these particulars.