HC Deb 13 May 1964 vol 695 cc72-3W
Mr. McMaster

asked the Minister of Transport what tonnage of new construction work is at present on order with United Kingdom shipbuilding yards; and how this compares with the state of their order books for each of the past five years.

Vice-Admiral Hughes Hallett

At the end of March 1964, there were 2.5 million gross tons of merchant ships on order in United Kingdom shipyards. At the end of 1963 and the previous four years the corresponding figures in millions of gross tons were, moving backwards in time, 2.4, 2.1, 2.6, 3.3, and 4.1. These figures exclude orders for vessels of less than 100 gross tons.