§ 81 and 82. Mr. Awberyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty (1) if he is aware that an oil tanker of 100,000 tons deadweight and several others of 60,000 tons are on order, and that one of 80,000 tons is now in commission; how many dry docks in this 184W country are capable of accommodating these; and what action the Government are taking to provide such accommodation or to finance ship-repairing companies to do so;
(2) if he is aware that of the three dry docks constructed during the past ten years not one is capable of accommodating the large oil tankers now under construction; that ship-construction has outstripped repairing accommodation: and if he will make a statement on future Government policy in this regard.
§ Mr. T. G. D. GalbraithI am aware that the three dry docks most recently completed in this country would not be large enough to dock the largest oil tankers on order. Only one dry dock in this country could accommodate tankers up to 80,000 tons deadweight and one other up to 60,000 tons. The provision of further dry docks for commercial purposes is primarily a matter for the ship-repairing, shipbuilding and port interests in the country. As the Prime Minister told the hon. and gallant Member for Horncastle (Commander Maitland) on 14th February, Her Majesty's Government are studying the various aspects of the problems posed by the trend towards bigger and wider ships.