§ MR. NORMAN (Wolverhampton, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War 1058 whether he is aware that Messrs. Kynoch, Limited, are offering to supply to Volunteer corps reliable ammunition for the service rifle at a lower price than that charged to Volunteer corps by the Government; will he state whether the Order recently issued by the War Office, forbidding Volunteer corps to purchase ammunition from any other source than the Government, was made on the grounds that Messrs. Kynoch's ammunition is of inferior quality to that supplied by the Government; and, if not, for what reason Volunteer corps have been forbidden to avail themselves of this cheaper source of supply.
§ MR. BRODRICKI understand that Messrs. Kynoch have offered to sell a Volunteer corps small-arm ammunition that has not passed the Government tests. No new Order has been issued on the subject, but attention has been called to paragraph 2,035 of the King's Regulations, which lays down that, as serious damage may be done to rifles by the use of unsuitable ammunition, commanding officers are to forbid the troops under their orders to use any ammunition, whether ball, blank, or dummy, except that provided by the Government.
§ MR. NORMANBut is that the fact that Messrs. Kynoch offered to sell their ammunition at £1 per 1,000 rounds less than it is supplied by the Government?
§ MR. BRODRICKI have informed the hon. Gentleman that it is understood the ammunition which they offered to sell was ammunition which had not passed the Government test.