asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the percentage of the cost of a cruiser which is expended on wages; and which are the important trades which benefit by the building of ships?

Mr. DAVIDSON:

80 per cent. of the cost of warship construction is spent on wages in this country. The principal trades benefited are as follow:

• Draughtsmen,
• Shipwrights, carpenters and ship joiners.
• Ship platers, drillers, riveters and caulkers.
• Ship, engine, electrical and other fitters.
• Boilermakers.
• Coppersmiths.
• Patternmakers.
• Electrical wiremen.
• Foundrymen.
• Smiths.
• Machinists.
• Workers of various designations in armour and steel works and in electrical wire and cable factories.
• Painters.

Is the hon. Member doing all he can to hasten on the announcement of the shipbuilding programme?

Mr. DAVIDSON:

It is not in my hands.