§ Sir A. SINCLAIRasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when the five cruisers and two destroyers, for the construction of which the Government proposes to ask Parliamentary sanction, would have been laid down if the pro- 2371W gramme of construction had been dictated by the requirements of national defence alone?
§ Mr. AMMONIf financial circumstances had permitted, the Admiralty would have asked Parliamentary sanction for the construction of the cruisers to have commenced on the scrapping of the vessels they are replacing. The destroyers would in any case have been allowed for in the Estimates to be placed before the House for the financial year 1924–25.