asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the output of British shipyards for 1955 to the latest available date and the figure for the corresponding period last year.

In the first nine months of 1955, 202 ships of about 957,000 gross tons were completed in British shipyards, compared with 172 ships of about 1,126,000 gross tons in the corresponding period of last year.

In view of these figures and in view of the desire of the shipbuilding industry to speed up output, will the right hon. Gentleman use his good offices to see that they get the steel they need, which is lacking due to the current shortages?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I will do everything I can and that the Admiralty will do all in their power to help over the steel question, but the present shipbuilding position is really pretty satisfactory.