§ 129. Mr. Willeyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the tonnage of new merchant ship orders obtained by United Kingdom shipyards for the latest 12-month period and the similar tonnage for the previous corresponding period.
§ Mr. T. G. D. Galbraith515,000 gross tons in 1958 as compared with 1,823,000 gross tons in 1957.
§ 130. Mr. Willeyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the tonnage of orders which United Kingdom shipyards cancelled during the latest 12 month period and the similar tonnage for the previous corresponding period.
§ Mr. T. G. D. Galbraith396,000 gross tons in 1958 as compared with 121,000 gross tons in 1957.
§ 131. Mr. Awberyasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what was the gross tonnage ordered from British shipbuilding yards for each of the years 1955 to 1958; and what steps he is taking to improve the demand for dry cargo vessels since, without an early increase in this tonnage, some of the small yards will have to close down.
§ Mr. T. G. D. GalbraithThe gross tonnage ordered from British shipbuilding yards for each of the years from 1955 to 1958 is as follows:
1955 … … 2,428,000 1956 … … 2,283,376 1957 … … 1,822,898 1958 … … 515,313 With regard to the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation earlier today.