asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if any statement is to be given cut in advance of the discussion on Thursday in regard to the Supplementary Estimate for shipbuilding?

asked the Prime Minister if he is now in a position to inform the House how many cruisers the Government propose building; and how soon they will be laid down?

asked the Prime Minister whether he can now give any information with regard to the findings of the committee on naval shipbuilding; whether a Supplementary Estimate will be required to carry out these findings; and when such Estimate will be presented to Parliament?

asked the Prime Minister if the Report of the Cabinet committee on the naval shipbuilding requirements of the country has been considered; and if he can make any statement on the matter?

I shall answer these questions together. I cannot at present add anything to what I have already said in reply to questions on this subject.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether any statement will be made to-morrow?

No, Sir. The Opposition, who asked for the Vote, were advised on Monday that it would be impossible to make any statement on Thursday.

Is it not open to the Opposition to have the Vote put down upon what day they like, and was it not very desirable to get a decision on this matter as soon as possible?

I was not criticising the Opposition. They are perfectly within their rights. I am merely calling the attention of my hon. and gallant Friend to a statement of fact, because he wondered why no statement had been presented and he was not aware of what had taken place. Had the Debate been able to take place next week, the information desired would have been obtained.

Is it not a fact that an undertaking was given that the Estimate should be introduced before the House rose? Is that an undertaking which it is impossible to carry out?

Certainly I undertook that a statement should be made, and the Estimate, if one was found necessary, taken before the House rose for the Recess.

Would the right hon. Gentleman say if his first answer means that the Government have not reached any decision?

I answered that question last week, when I stated that a decision was to be arrived at shortly, and it will be arrived at, I hope, by the beginning of next week.

In view of the fact that we will not have the shipbuilding programme before us, can my right hon. Friend, through the usual channels, ask the Liberal party not to indulge in a ridiculous waste of time?

asked the Prime Minister whether, before a decision is reached to postpone the approved cruiser programme, spread over some years, consideration will be given to the fact that if this is done we shall be building cruisers at the same time as replacement battleships under the Washington Agreement, thereby imposing a heavy financial burden on the country?

May I draw your attention to this question, Sir? On my reading of it, it is hypothetical, and therefore out of Order. It contains a statement with reference to a programme of which nothing whatever is known. I submit that the question is quite out of Order.

The question is certainly not hypothetical. It deals with a question of postponing a decision until some other facts have been gone into, and it is in Order.

My hon. and gallant Friend may rest assured that in the consideration of this question all relevant facts are being taken into account.