§ MR. COURTHOPETo ask the Secretary of State for War whether the Small Arms Committee who rejected the swivel-lug immediately in front of the magazine from the design of the converted long Lee-Enfield rifle intended that the guard-screw in front of the magazine should be interchangeable with the swivel screw on the toe of the butt; and whether he will consult the Small Arms Committee as to the advisability of making this alteration in the case of all future conversions.
(Answered by Mr. Secretary Haldane.) The question of placing the swivel-lug immediately in front of the magazine of the converted long Lee-Enfield rifle was not referred to the Small Arms Committee, and was therefore not dealt with by them. The swivel-screw on the toe of the butt, which is a wood screw for screwing into the butt, cannot be used in place of the guard-screw in front of the magazine which screws into the metal of the body, as the present butt-swive 663 cannot be detached from the screw of which it forms part.