§ 29. Mr. KIRKWOODasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office on what grounds the War Office has refused to sell the discarded munitions factory site, comprising 220 acres, at Irvine, to a Scottish company for a coal-distillation plant; and will he give an assurance that it is not intended to retain the site for war purposes?
§ 30. Lieut.-Colonel MOOREasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will reconsider his decision to refuse the sale of the War Department property at Irvine to a Scottish company, both to stimulate trade in Scotland and to give employment to many people in this neighbourhood?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Duff Cooper)It has been decided that the property in question is required for the purposes of the Department. I may add that more than half of the property is let to the Territorial Army Association for the County of Ayr.
§ Lieut.-Colonel MOOREIs the hon Gentleman aware that, although the unemployment figures during last month have decreased by 30,000 all round, in Scotland they have increased by 8,000; and does he not see that this action of the War Office will have a tremendous impression on those loyal supporters of the Government in Scotland who believe that government of Scotland by Westminster at Whitehall not alone affords no stimulus to Scottish industry but virtually seeks to deprive Scotland of an opportunity to recover?
§ Mr. COOPERThe Government have to think of the interests of the Army.