Might I mention at the outset that I was rather pleased that I had to reply to this matter on the Adjournment, because since I have had the privilege of holding my present position, I have learned quite a lot about Rosyth Dockyard and the proposed graving dock on the Clyde. Scottish Members see that this House is reminded of the anxiety with which they look for a statement with regard to the permanency of Rosyth Dockyard and the commencement of a scheme for a graving dock on the Clyde. There really is not a lot that I can tell the House in addition to what has been stated in reply to the very large number of Questions which have been put on the Order Paper since 1945. I must admit that the Scottish Members who have put these Questions on the Order Paper, and perhaps people living in Scotland, have not had a lot of satisfaction out of the replies, but I must say that one does not always give a positive reply to Questions put down in this House. It seems that there is no other answer suitable to Scottish Members on this issue.

I agree entirely with what was said by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Glasgow (Colonel Hutchison) with regard to Rosyth and Scapa Flow. I served for quite a long time in the Navy in those parts just after the first world war, and during the last war. It is no secret to say that the Admiralty have thought a lot of Rosyth, and we greatly appreciate what was done by Rosyth in the interests of the Admiralty and of the State during those two world wars. In between the wars, a previous Government decided not to wait until the next war came before anything was done in that area. There is one point I am sure the hon. and gallant Member for Central Glasgow did not mean to infer, when he complained that the Admiralty were proposing to spend money on developing Portsmouth, Chatham and Devonport and that those bases were put out of action soon after the war started. I would like to say that those ports played their part every bit as well as Rosyth, Invergordon and the other ports in Scotland.