§ VISCOUNT HELMSLEYI beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether all cordite containing mercuric chloride, supplied to the War Office, has been 80 destroyed; and, if so, what was the total amount so destroyed, and what did it cost.
§ MR. HALDANENo cordite belonging to the War Department has been destroyed bocause it contained mercuric chloride.
§ VISCOUNT HELMSLEYasked whether they were to understand that the Government had a supply of cordite containing mercuric chloride in their possession.
§ MR. HALDANEYes, in these circumstances. We rejected all the cordite which was in course of delivery to us which was found to contain mercuric chloride, because it was not in accordance with the specification. But there was some that we had accepted and paid for. Having regard to the probability of its containing mercuric chloride, we set it aside, and we are now subjecting it to various tests of a searching kind, which mercuric chloride cannot mask. Mercuric chloride does not damage the cordite; it only masks the heat test. Otherwise it may be perfectly good. We are subjecting this specific cordite to a much more searching test, and on the result of that test will depend the question whether we should make any use of it or destroy it.
§ VISCOUNT HELMSLEYasked whether it was not the case that in the specification it was particularly stated that the cordite was not to contain mercuric chloride.
§ MR. HALDANEIt was not to contain any foreign ingredient, including mercuric chloride. We rejected all the cordite we could.
§ LORD BALCARRES (Lancashire, Chorley)was understood to ask why having already rejected some of this cordite the War Office in August accepted some thirty tons for use by the Army?
§ MR. HALDANEI must ask for notice of any Question as to facts. I am not sure the noble Lord is not under a misconception. What we have done, if we have done it at all—I rather think we have not—is to subject all cordite which was suspected of having mercuric chloride used in its composition to a different and a searching test.
§ MR. MITCHELL THOMSONHow much cordite does the right hon. Gentleman place in the category of "suspected" cordite?
§ MR. HALDANEI cannot tell the exact amount, but it is substantial—a very considerable amount.
§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I should like to ask whether this new searching test is not—
§ *MR. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the Question.
AN HON. MEMBERWill the contractors who supplied the cordite which was subsequently found to contain mercuric chloride be called upon to refund?
§ MR. HALDANELitigation is now actually pending between the War Office and the contractors.
§ MR. BELLAIRSMay I ask if this new test will be applied to cordite stored at stations abroad?
§ *MR. SPEAKERThat does not arise out of the Question on the Paper.