asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number and types of ships that have been or will be transferred from the operational Fleet to the reserve during 1958, and the number and types of new construction that have been or will be added to the operational Fleet during the same period.

As forecast in the Explanatory statement which relates to the financial year 1958–59, there will be a net reduction of two cruisers, three destroyers and two submarines and an increase of four frigates in the operational Fleet. In the same period 1 new cruiser, 5 new frigates and 4 new submarines have, or will have, been commissioned.

Does my hon. Friend realise that there is considerable disquiet about this continuing decrease in the size of the operational Fleet? Does not he agree that it is already dangerously small and that this running-down policy ought to be reversed?

Of course we have to build the Fleet which our resources permit and it is our policy to build the best ships within those resources. I think that all hon. Members will agree that our modern ships are not bettered by any other navy.

Mr. Dugdale:

While realising that it is not possible to spend vast sums of money on building new ships, may I ask whether that is a reason for disposing of a large number of old ships?

The old ships we are disposing of are almost entirely of war-time or pre-war construction and the cost of bringing those ships up to the standard required by modern navies is out of all proportion to their value.