§ MR. J. F. HOPE (Sheffield, Brightside)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether it has been the practice in the past, whether formulated or not, to give out to private firms one-half of the bayonets required for the service of the Army; and, if so, will he say why this practice is now being departed from.
§ THE SECRETARY or STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.)When orders for bayonets have been sufficient to warrant it, they have been divided equally between the trade and the Ordnance Factories. This year the number of bayonets required is so small that it is necessary to confine the larger proportion of the orders to the-Ordnance Factories.
§ MR. J. F. HOPEI shall call attention to this matter when a suitable opportunity offers.