§ 21 and 93. General Sir IVOR PHILIPPSasked (1) the Under-Secretary of State for War whether steps have been taken to secure the rights in the Madsen gun for this country; (2) the Minister of Munitions whether he can give the House any information regarding the policy of the Government as to the introduction of the Madsen gun into the British Army?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI am afraid that I can add nothing at present to the answers which have already been given regarding this gun, but I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the matter is being closely investigated. The reply to the first question is in the negative.
§ Sir I. PHILIPPSIs my right hon. Friend aware that the only answers we have had in this House have been to say that nothing can be done about the Madsen gun, and this question was put down to elicit from the right Ron. Gentleman an answer as to the policy of the Government on this matter? I think we are entitled to an answer.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI quite agree with my hon. and gallant Friend. I was referring to the Debate that took place in another place the other day, when a statement was made by the representative of the Ministry of Munitions.
§ Sir I. PHILIPPSOn a point of Order, Sir. In this House I asked a question of the Minister of Munitions, a member of the Government, who has this matter in hand, and he gave me a definite answer that nothing was being done. A junior official in that Department in another place gives an entirely different and equally unsatisfactory statement as to the position of the Madsen gun. I submit to you, Sir, that this House should not have to go across the passage to get information on matters concerning the War, and I submit respectfully that the Undersecretary for War or the Minister of Munitions ought to be able to answer the question, especially if they have decided what is to be the policy of the Government in this important matter.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThere is no point of Order in that for me to rule upon. It was a very interesting speech, but the hon. and gallant Gentleman ought to have reserved it for a suitable occasion.
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI can tell the hon. and gallant Member what was the gist of the speech in the other House. This gun is to have a new trial, under the auspices of the Ministry of Munitions, the Air Ministry, and the War Office, on Friday, I think.
§ Sir I. PHILIPPSWill my right hon. Friend carefully consider the precedent of the Stokes gun; is he aware that in that case the military officers said the gun was useless; and is he aware that the Ministry of Munitions ordered those guns?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. and gallant Member must really give notice of some of those questions.
§ Sir C. HOBHOUSE (by Private Notice)asked the Under-Secretary of State for 2193 War whether the trial of the Madsen gun which he has announced to-day is to take place in France or in this country?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONIt is to take place in this country.
§ Colonel Sir H. GREENWOODWill the trial of this gun, which already has been tried by most of the machine-gun experts in this country and favourably reported on, take place in the presence of those who have fired this gun and also fired other guns like the Lewis gun and the Hotchkiss gun, which many think should be replaced or largely superseded by the Madsen gun?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONindicated assent.
§ Sir C. HOBHOUSEWill the right hon. Gentleman give us a report of the result of the trial?
§ Mr. MACPHERSONI cannot promise.