§ MR. BELLAIRS (Lynn Regis)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware of the unanimous Resolution passed by Lord Rayleigh's Committee on 25th February of this year, to the effect that they could not recommend that any of the explosives therein referred to could, consistently with the public safety, be put to any useful purpose or dealt with otherwise than by destruction, on the ground that such explosives contained an unauthorised ingredient which masked the official test; whether this Resolution in any way affected naval cordite containing mercuric chloride; and whether Lord Rayleigh's Committee made any similar recommendation in respect of the naval cordite containing mercuric chloride, and whether the Admiralty are complying with the recommendations of that Committee.
§ MR. MCKENNAThe answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. This Resolution did not affect naval cordite. Lord Rayleigh's Committee made no similar recommendation as regards naval cordite.
§ MR. BELLAIRSAre the Admiralty complying with the recommendations of Lord Rayleigh's Committee?
§ MR. MCKENNAThose regulations referred to blasting explosives and had nothing to do with mercuric chloride.
§ MR. BELLAIRSBut did not the Secretary to the Admiralty state that that Committee would deal with cordite containing mercuric chloride?
§ MR. MCKENNAWell, I can only say it did not deal with it.
§ MR. ASHLEY (Lancashire, Blackpool)Do they not make any recommendation applicable to naval cordite?
§ MR. MCKENNANone at all.