§ 61. Mr. MACQUISTENasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Air Ministry insisted on reserving 100 tons of hair from a proposed sale in Ireland of 130 tons by the Disposal Board; whether, seeing that this amount will make 7,000 mattresses, he will state what the Air Force have been sleeping on hitherto and where and why they want 7,000 beds now; what is the rate of deterioration of teased hair such as the hair in question when in store; and does it 1795 tend to lose stiffness and value with rapidity if not immediately made into mattresses?
§ Mr. PARKERThe reply to the first part of my hon. Friend's queston is that a request was made to the Disposal Board by the Air Ministry to reserve 90 tons of hair, and that the Ministry has been informed that the hair so reserved is at Neasden. Whether this hair was reserved from a proposed sale in Ireland or not is not within my knowledge. In regard to the second part, I would explain that to a considerable extent airmen have hitherto been sleeping on straw palliasses and on bed boards, and that the hair referred to above has mainly been obtained for the manufacture of hair mattresses to remedy this state of affairs at the stations to be permanently retained by the Royal Air Force. As it is not the intention of the Air Ministry to store hair in excess of immediate requirements, it does not appear that the remainder of my hon. Friend's question calls for a reply.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIs the hon. Gentleman not aware that there are thousands and thousands of beds, belonging to the Army, stored up and down the country. I could give him instances. For what purpose are they making new ones when these store a are enough?
§ Mr. PARKERI am afraid my hon. and learned Friend must put that question down. I do not know anything further about the matter.