§ Mr. DENNISONasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, having regard to the fact that in connection with certain, work now being carried out on H.M.S. "Vindictive" at Chatham Dockyard, steel bars of foreign origin are being used, he will state the reason for this?
§ Sir S. HOAREI have been asked to reply to this question, which relates to some special work carried out by the Admiralty on be-half of the Air Ministry. Steel of particular sections was required for the work, which is of an experimental nature, and as British steel is not made up in the sections required and as delay and expense would have been incurred if British steel had been specially made up, it was decided to employ foreign steel, which is already made up in the sections required. The total amount needed was roughly a ton and a half and the cost approximately £25.