§ Mr. PETOasked the President of the Board of Trade whether the German cartridges used by miniature rifle clubs in this country are such a character that if manu- 602 factured in this country they would come under the regulations applying to detonators; whether the Board of Trade regulations, in effect, prohibit the use of an amount of fulminate, cap composition, equal to that used in the German cartridge; and whether, as this handicaps British manufacturers by preventing them from producing a cartridge with an equally sensitive cap composition, he proposes to make any alteration in the Board of Trade regulations, or whether any alteration of the regulations has recently been made, and, if so, what?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Masterman)My right hon. Friend has asked the Secretary of State to answer this question. The reply to the hon. Member's questions is in the negative. If manufactured in this country, these cartridges would, with perhaps a few unimportant modifications, come under the regulations applying to percussion caps (and not under the regulations applying to detonators). The regulations for percussion caps vary slightly for each factory, according to the conditions obtaining, and experience has shown that they are necessary for the safety of the workpeople. Any application for a licence to manufacture this particular cartridge would be carefully considered with a view to avoid unnecessary restrictions, but no such application has as yet been received.
§ Mr. PETODo the regulations of the Board of Trade operate to any extent to the disadvantage of home manufacturers in competition with foreign manufacturers in the supply of ammunition to these miniature rifle clubs?
Mr. BUXTONThey are not regulations of the Board of Trade. They are regulations of the Home Department under the Explosives Act merely for the protection of the workpeople.