HC Deb 08 June 1904 vol 135 cc1058-9
CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)

I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the resolution passed by the District Council at Enfield, on the 1st June, setting forth the distress prevalent in the district in consequence of the slackness of work at the Royal Small Arms Factory, has been brought to his notice; and if he can say whether the £270,000, which appears in the Ordnance Factory Vote as wages for Enfield, is now being spent; and whether he will put a stop to the discharging of men with from twenty to thirty years service by allowing work which can be done at Enfield to go to private contractors.

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. BROMLEY DAVENPORT,) Cheshire, Macclesfield

The resolution has been received and is under consideration. As regards the second paragraph, the figure mentioned was a maximum Estimate prepared at an early stage and before the orders for the year were finally settled. The rate of expenditure justified by the orders at present received from all sources is some what less. As regards the last paragraph, the factories have received their fair share of the total orders on the established principle that the resources of the trade as well as those of the Government factories must be utilised.

CAPTAIN NORTON

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the cost of rifles as produced by private contract is at least £1 more than the cost of those produced at Enfield, and can he not, in these circumstances, see his way to giving a larger proportion of the work to the Enfield factory, thereby putting an end to the distress which prevails in the district where rates are over 10s. in the £1.

MR. JESSE COLLINGS (Birmingham, Bordesley)

Before the hon. Gentleman answers, may I ask whether, if the rates, taxes, and other trade charges— fixed charges—at Enfield were dealt with on a fair commercial basis, the cost of the rifle made at Enfield would not be proportionately larger.

MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)

What is the value of the plant and material on which rates are paid at Enfield which are now standing idle?

MR. BROMLEY-DAVENPORT

The charges made against the cost of production do not include those mentioned by the right hon. Gentleman. If they were included, the cost of the rifle as made in the factory and as made by the trade would probably be about identical. The principle which governs the allocation of orders is this—that we must be prepared: in time of peace so to regulate the production that it may be capable of rapid and very large expansion in the emergency of war. Therefore we give orders to the trade and orders to the factory. In answer to the hon. Member for Woolwich, I may say that, that being the accepted principle, it is inevitable that there must be considerable plant and machinery standing idle to be available in the emergency of war.