§ 35. Lieut.-Commander Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement regarding the construction of new arsenals at Bridgend, Irvine, Hereford, and Chorley; as to cost of sites and buildings and railway sidings; and as to the future of Woolwich Arsenal?
Mr. CooperThe work at Irvine and Hereford consists of reconstruction and extension of existing factories. At Bridgend land has been purchased in preparation for the building of an ammunition filling factory. A contract has recently been placed by His Majesty's Office of Works for the erection of an ammunition filling factory at Chorley. As the purchase of land and other negotiations are still proceeding, it would not be in the public interest to give details of the estimated cost. The erection of the new factories will provide alternative sources of production in localities less open to air attack for certain of the factory activities at Woolwich, but the total volume of work there will not be affected for some time to come.