§ MR. CHIOZZA MONEY (Paddington, N.)To ask the Secretary of State for War whether, while, since 1901, under the present and previous Governments, about 10,000 workmen have been discharged from Woolwich Arsenal, causing great distress in Woolwich and Plum-stead, large contracts for munitions of war have been placed with private contractors; and whether, in the interests of national economy, he will consider the advisability of making full use of the national capital invested in the buildings and plant at Woolwich.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The principle of dividing the orders for war munitions between the Government factories and the trade has long been accepted as the best policy in the interests of the Army and the nation. By this means only is it possible to secure economically the necessary expansion to meet the needs of war. Since the termination of the South African War there has been an inevitable decrease in the volume of the Government orders, but I am satisfied that in the allocation of these orders the Government factories have received the fullest possible proportion. It is not possible to keep the whole of the plant in the Government factories working in time of peace.