§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to adopt all or any of the principal recommendations of the recent Royal Commission on Warlike Stores— 995 namely, the appointment of a Commission to lay down a standard as to the amount of stores which shall be kept in hand for the Public Service; the publication of Annual Tables, showing how the existing stores stand in relation to that standard; and the publication by the Chief of the Ordnance Department of an annual statement, showing what stores he considers necessary for the Public Service during the current year?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE (Mr. E. STANHOPE) (Lincolnshire, Horncastle)The Government have considered the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Warlike Stores to which my hon. Friend refers, and do not intend to propose the adoption of them. No Government in this country, or indeed in any other country, has ever published to the world the particulars of the stores which it has in hand; and we do not think it would be for the public interest to adopt that practice. The Commission recommended the revival of the office of Master General of the Ordnance. My hon. Friend must be aware that in the re-organization which has taken place at the War Office that recommendation has not been acted upon.
MR. ARTHUR O' CONNOR (Donegal, E.)inquired, Whether it was not a fact that a great proportion of the stores were obsolete and useless; and whether the Government had got a record of them, and were getting rid of such stores?
§ MR. E. STANHOPEYes, Sir; that is being gradually done. I know myself that the obsolete stores are being gradually got rid of.