§ 105. Mr. Kirkwoodasked the Minister of Transport what steps he is taking, in view of the continuing shortage of ships, to survey ships at present laid up as uneconomic, with a view to providing diesel engines for all these ships capable of being economically worked under those circumstances.
§ Mr. CallaghanThere is no general shortage of shipping at present but most of the few ships over 1,600 gross tons laid up in this country are over 30 years old, and it is usually uneconomic to prolong36W the life of old and inefficient ships. It is wiser policy to modernise the fleet by building new and more efficient types.