Sir F. HALLasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what have been the amounts expended on naval development by Great Britain, the United States of America, France, Japan, and Italy since the conclusion of the Washington Conference on the reduction of naval armaments; and whether any of such expenditure was incurred contrary to the arrangements agreed upon at that conference?
§ Mr. AMMONNo naval expenditure has been incurred by Great Britain contrary to the provisions of the Naval Treaty for the limitation of naval armament, and I must assume that the other signatories are similarly carrying out the provisions of the Treaty. I am afraid that it is impossible to give any useful figures covering specifically the expenditure on naval development in its wider sense. If the hon. and gallant Member refers to new construction, I would refer him, as regards details of ships laid down since the Washington Conference, to the reply of the 21st May to the hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. D. G. Somerville). As regards the actual up-to-date expenditure on such ships, I am not in a position to give any accurate figure for all the countries, but if the hon. and gallant Member so desires. I can obtain particulars of the provision made for new shipbuilding construction in the various Navy Estimates for the years 1922 and 1923, except, possibly, in the case of Italy.