§ Mr. Awberyasked the Secretary of State for Defence why an offer was made to lease or sell the floating crane in Malta to Messrs. Swan and Hunter; and what was the outcome of the offer.
§ Mr. HayThis crane had been hired from the Admiralty by Bailey (Malta) Ltd. for their ship repair work while the development of the dockyard was in progress. With the rundown of Malta to a forward operating base, the Naval need for the crane at Malta ended; and as it was needed at Gibraltar, Messrs. Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd., who are now responsible for the management of the dockyard, were asked whether they would still require it, at a full economic rent, after April this year when No. 4 dry dock was expected to come into operation. They replied that they would not then find it worthwhile to keep the crane at Malta, so it is now being removed.