§ Sir R. GOWERasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the value of the orders for ship construction and ship-repairing work, respectively, placed by the Admiralty with His Majesty's naval dockyards and private shipyards, respectively, during the last three months?
Mr. ALEXANDERDuring the period referred to, contracts for new construction, hull and machinery, and for ship repairs have been placed with private firms at home for something over £100,000 and £9,000 respectively. No orders for ship construction have been placed with the Royal Dockyards during the past three months, but the construction of two sloops was allocated to the dockyards in September last, the value involved being £167,000. The labour expended at the Naval Dockyards at home for ship repair work during the three months ended December, 1929, was over £600,000.