§ Captain Kerbyasked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether it is planned to order additional quantities of American HY-80 steel for the fifth and sixth nuclear fleet submarines to be built for the Royal Navy; and what will be the cost of American steel bought for the entire British nuclear submarine programme;
(2) whether, in view of the concern of Her Majesty's Government to conserve foreign exchange, he will place revised specifications for special steels with British manufacturers in order to save dollar expenditure on American HY-80 steel for British nuclear submarines.
§ Mr. J. P. W. MallalieuQuantities of American HY-80 steel have been ordered for these two boats. We have to date committed about £.1.15 million on American steel for British nuclear submarines. Whether we shall order any more depends on how soon acceptable British steel can be produced.