§ Mr. LEESasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the number of men employed in the shipbuilding industry in the year 1908 and the total tonnage launched from British shipyards in 1908, also the number of men employed in the shipbuilding industry in 1928 and the total tonnage launched?
§ Mr. W. R. SMITHThe total tonnage launched in the United Kingdom in 1903 and 1928 was as follows:
— Tons gross. 1908. 1928. Mercantile tonnage (excluding unregistered vessels of under 15 tons gross). 974,566* 1,458,058 Warship tonnage— For foreigners 15,048 10,400 (approx.) For British Navy— Private Yards 8,563† 75,450† Royal Dockyards 43,733† l,540† * Including 1,586 tons gross launched in Southern Ireland. † Displacement tonnage. The estimated number of persons insured against unemployment in July, 1928, engaged in the shipbuilding, ship-repairing and marine engineering, etc., industries was 257,460, of whom about 62,220 were unemployed on the average in that year. Corresponding figures for 1908 are not available.