§ LORD CHARLES BERESFORD () WoolwichTo ask the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that workmen are being discharged from certain departments in Woolwich Arsenal at the rate of about 300 a week, while at the same time work is being done overtime in other Departments, and whether he will consider the advisability of so distributing the work as to obviate the working overtime in some Departments whilst hands are being discharged in others; whether he is aware that contractors are supplying the same amount per week of small arms ammunition as they supplied before the war, whilst the Royal Arsenal is supplying 50 per cent. less; and will he state whether any of the men now being discharged from the Royal Arsenal are reservists lately returned from South Africa; and, if so, how many.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Brodrick.) The pressure due to the war having now relaxed, it is inevitable that some discharges should be made from the ordnance factories. Men have recently been discharged at the rate of 100 a week (not 300), and the total discharges for the last six months amount to about 800 men. Further discharges will have to be made at the end of the financial year. There is practically no overtime worked now, except such as is absolutely necessary in continuous operations, etc., and, owing to the different natures of operations, it is impossible to prevent discharges by any redistribution of work. The weekly output of small arms ammunition from the ordnance factories has been reduced to three-quarter million 500 rounds a week, but it is not possible to interfere with orders already given to contractors. It is not known whether there are any reservists among the men discharged. Instructions will be given to avoid such discharges wherever possible. The policy of keeping a considerable reserve of power of output in the ordnance factories available in time of war has been deliberately adopted and will be adhered to.