§ MR. CROOKS (Woolwich)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the fact 441 that the King's Messenger's greatcoat, Requisition Order 3,156, was made in the Department at the Royal Army Clothing Department, Pimlico; and will he explain why this greatcoat was passed through the outdoor division and paid for in the same way.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Arnold-Forster.) This coat was made up by some of the military tailors under instruction, because the ordinary women piece workers employed in the factory are unskilled in this description of work. In this and similar cases the men employed are temporarily attached to one of the divisions of the factory to enable the payment for the work to appear in the accounts in a regular way.