asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received concerning the rundown of the naval shipyards at Portsmouth and Chatham; and if he will make a statement.

In the course of April and May we have received 23 letters about the closure of Portsmouth dockyard and Chatham naval base. Our general strategy for the future of the dockyards remains unchanged, but in view of the present emergency no redundancy notices will be issued at Portsmouth and Chatham in the immediate future.