Oral Answers to Questions — Royal Navy. – in the House of Commons am ar 31 Gorffennaf 1935.
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the danger of the publication of unofficial statements of the Government's naval programme until 1942, he will now consider making an official pronouncement on the matter?
Sir BOLTON EYRES MONSELL:
No, Sir. The naval programme of this country cannot be determined until the results of the Naval Conference and the programmes of other Powers are known, and as no official pronouncement can therefore be made, no attention need be paid to unofficial and irresponsible statements.
Will not the First Lord take the House and the country into his confidence and state whether the Board of Admiralty intend to have an early replacement of battleships, and an increase in the number of cruisers from 50 to 70?
Has the projected programme for battleships already been submitted to America, Germany, France, and other important naval Powers?
Is it not correct that the Government cannot commit themselves to any building without the approval of the Estimates by this House?
Sir B. EYRES MONSELL:
Naturally it must always be under the control of the House of Commons.
What is the difference between a hypothetical programme and a projected programme?