asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any public moneys have been advanced for the purpose of reconditioning the slips in any private yards for the purpose of enabling war ships to be constructed in such private yards?

No, Sir.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when the remaining instalment of naval prize money will be paid?

The payment of the final instalment of naval prize money, which commenced in April last, is now approaching completion. Claims have already been invited from all interested, except those whose names begin with the letters A, B, E and S. These letters will be opened for payment within the next month.

Will the hon. Member, in view of the failure of the herring fishing, not only this year but for the past two years, whereby great distress is caused—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"] I think it is a legitimate question. [HON. MEMBERS: "You are reading it!"] Will he take such steps as would result—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"]

If the question is carefully written, it had better be handed in.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that in the, case of those naval ratings who were killed in action during the late War before completing the full time for prize money, their representatives received the full prize money, first and second issues; and if he will consider the claim of those men who, through no fault of their own, were invalided early in the War after active service or who happened to be ashore and were killed in a land action to such full prize money?

The regulations for the award of prize money provide that the maximum shares which could have been earned may be granted to those who, before completing the qualifying period of service at sea, died or were invalided as a result of wounds or injuries sustained on such service, or who, having had at least 10 months' qualifying time, died or were invalided on account of disease attributable to the Service. Prize money, however, is an award made solely in respect of services at sea, being derived from the proceeds of prizes captured by His Majesty's ships, and consequently services in land operations or casualties sustained on such employment do not give any title to the grant.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the memorial tablet to Cornwall, V.C., erected in H.M.S. "Chester," was sold with the ship when she was sent to be broken up; and whether steps can now be taken to secure this tablet in the interest of the nation and for its safe custody in future?

Instructions were given for the removal of all such mementoes before the ship was sold, and I understand that it had been removed from its place before the ship was prepared for sale. I am making further inquiries with a view to its recovery and preservation.

Is there any truth in the report that the tablet is now in a shipbreaker's office at Netley?

I sent a wire this morning to find out, but have not yet received a reply.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the financial results of the attempt to break up old warships in the State-owned dockyards?

Three destroyers and four submarines were broken up in the Royal yards between 1918 and the present year. The net proceeds have amounted to £24,798.

Is that after deducting all costs?

Yes. That is the profit. But these ships were broken up in the years immediately succeeding the War, when scrap was of considerable value. It is no longer so.

Even then, would it not be advisable to break up those small ships and give us some useful employment rather than let ships go to German breaking firms?

We have given every possible facility for ship-breaking firms to break up our ships. I have personally taken every possible means of doing so.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty what was the difference between the amount of the tender accepted for the breaking up in Germany of the battleship "Hibernia" and the highest tender for breaking up at home; and, in view of the large amount of unemployment amongst the shipyard workers in this country, will he see that in future such work is not sent abroad?

The "Hibernia" formed part of a block of ships sold a year ago to a British firm for breaking up in Germany at a time when the facilities in this country for breaking up capital ships were insufficient to cope with the immense number of vessels which the Admiralty had to get rid of. The prices obtainable from continental buyers are considerably higher than those paid in this country, but it has been the policy of the Admiralty to fill the shipbreaking yards in the United Kingdom to their utmost capacity. In order to relieve unemployment direct sales of ships have for some time been and will continue to be restricted generally to buyers who will undertake to break them up in this country.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty what rates of weekly wrage have been paid to the lowest grade of adult labour in the Royal Dockyard at Plymouth since January, 1914; and what the present rate is under the recently revised scale of dockyard wages?

In January, 1914, the weekly rate for labourers was 23s. The rate was increased to 24s. a week from 1st October, 1914. By a series of temporary advances made over the period March, 1915-June, 1920, 39s. 6d. was added to the rate, and from October, 1917, 12½ per cent, bonus was paid on the total rate. The temporary increases, including the 12½ per cent, bonus, have been gradually reduced, as from July, 1921, and, with the last 4s. reduction taking effect from the 19th November, the total amount of the temporary increases is now 17s. a week, making the present pay of labourers 41s. a week.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that the afternoon of 15th November was given as a paid holiday to the workers of His Majesty's dockyards, and that all men absent through sickness, injury, or leave of absence have to forfeit this payment; and if ho will remedy this?

In order to enable dockyard employés to record their votes without causing conges-lion at the polling booths in the evening, permission was given, in accordance with the usual practice adopted at General Elections, for the workpeople, actually working to be absent from work on the afternoon of the polling day, 15th November, without loss of wages. It was specifically laid down that the half-day was not to be regarded as a dockyard half-holiday, and the Admiralty cannot accept the contention that employés who would not in any case have been at work in the afternoon should be paid for that afternoon.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that naval and marine ratings invalided with a disability pension are kept waiting lengthy periods before the first payment of pension; and if he can see to it that future invalids be retained in royal naval hospitals until pensions are authorised or to be paid, or otherwise agree with the Minister, of Pensions to expedite such pensions?

Men who are invalided are granted pay and allowances for 28 days subsequent to the date of invaliding. This period is normally sufficient for the man's claim to disability compensation to be settled, and retention in hospital to await pension documents is not, therefore, considered necessary. I am satisfied that every effort is already made to award pensions as expeditiously as possible, but if my hon. and gallant Friend will let me have details of the case he has in mind I shall be pleased to make further inquiry.