Shipbuilding, Repairs, Maintenance, etc. — Personnal.

Part of Orders of the Day — Supply. – in the House of Commons at on 21 July 1930.

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Photo of Mr Albert Alexander Mr Albert Alexander , Sheffield, Hillsborough

The 1930 programme of this Government had never been formulated. Let me come to the period after the Conference. On 30th April Italy announced her 1930 programme—before ours was formulated—at 42,900 tons. What is the use of trying to mislead the public in France and in Italy, as well as in this country, into thinking that we have taken the initiative in announcing our programme? It can only have a mischievous effect. Take the question as to whether it is going to help and assist the negotiations between France and Italy. The hon. and gallant Member said that he would anticipate what I should say on this point. I wish he would anticipate some of the arguments and give them due weight. There is not a ship in the programme which the Labour Government is submitting to the Committee to-day which is an addition—not one. The whole of these ships in this programme are replacement, and, in the judgment of many hon. Members opposite, an inadequate replacement, within the new limited tonnage laid down in the Treaty.

What is the position in France and Italy? I shall be very careful in what I say on this point, because nobody desires more earnestly than I that there shall be a speedy agreement between France and Italy to adhere to the limitation principle in Part III of the Treaty—a Treaty which would, probably, never have come into being but for the action of this Labour Government. No one desires more than I do that France and Italy should adhere to the limitation principle set up in the Treaty. Our trouble at present is that neither France nor Italy has been willing to adhere to this limitation. If it is suggested that the action of this Government has in any way militated against the possible success of these negotiations, I can only refute that argument at once. We who were in the Conference and negotiated direct with the leading delegates of France and Italy know that they are fully informed of the position, that they have not a single moment's anxiety about the Labour Government's replacement programme within the limited tonnage of the Treaty; not a single moment's anxiety.

I will say this. We are quite prepared, as soon as France and Italy have agreed to the principle of limitation, to which the three oceanic Powers have already agreed, to confer again to see how much further we can go, but surely the first step now to be adopted by France and Italy is to say that as Great Britain, America and Japan, the three oceanic Powers, have put their cards on the table and have agreed to the principle of limitation, they will adhere to the same principle and then confer as to what the next step shall be. Is not that a reasonable attitude for this Government, which initiated the London Naval Conference, to adopt? I am prepared to submit that as a sound and sane policy to any impartial tribunal in this country, and I know of none which can be more impartial than the House of Common's, to whom I leave it.