asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is proposed to recommission the Admiralty yacht "Enchantress"; and, if so, for what purpose?

Yes, Sir; for a period of In days, in order to allow the Board of Admiralty officially to attend the review of the Fleet in July, and carry out an official inspection of the naval establishments at Portsmouth.

How comes it that a Labour Government requires a yacht which was actually put out of commission by the Coalition Government?

The Labour Government do not require the yacht, but the Board of Admiralty require the yacht in order to carry out certain duties.

Does the hon. Gentleman not think that the time has come to reconsider the question of the Admiralty yacht, and is it not the universal experience of First Lords that the service of the yacht was a great contribution to the efficiency of the Department?

Largely I agree with the question put by the right hon. Gentleman, but of course he will understand that I cannot give here the opinion of the Sea Lords.

I asked the hon. Gentleman for the opinion of the Gov. einment and not of the Sea Lords. Would the Government not reconsider the matter?

I have answered that question in my main reply. The Government have reconsidered it, and they con rider that the yacht is absolutely essential for this particular review.

Can the hon. Gentleman give the House any indication of what it is likely to cost to restore and refuel this ship after it has been out of commission for 18 months?

The total cost involved will be £1,100for work and fuel and stores.

Will my hon. Friend assure the House that he is prepared to take this matter back, in view of the fact that even the small sum of money he has stated is necessary for other work that could be undertaken?

I can assure the hon. Member that this is a very much cheaper method than if the Board of Admiralty went down to the review by other means.

Is it not a matter of general experience that all the duties of the Board of Admiralty can be performed much cheaper without a yacht? Will not the bringing forward of this yacht result in greatly increased expenditure?

Are we to understand that the Board of Admiralty are unable to travel by train, but must have sea transport? Could they not be well accommodated on board one of the men-of-war?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman must not think that they cannot travel by train. They go by train to that point beyond which a train can no longer take them.

How many Ministers are there on the Board of Admiralty?

: That does not arise out of the question.

Where is the work of re-conditioning to be done?