§ 39. Commander King-Hallasked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that ornamental wrought-iron gates are being advertised for sale in the daily Press at £5 each; and whether he will consider taking them over, as metal in them would be of value in the production of armaments?
§ Mr. H. MorrisonI understand that the gates referred to are probably of Italian or Belgian manufacture imported before the war, and it is unlikely that their value for re-smelting would be more than a small fraction of their sale value as gates. There are, of course, substantial quantities of iron and steel goods made for civil use still on the market, much of which might serve as an ultimate reserve for armament production. At the present stage, however, I think that we should concentrate our efforts on salvaging the large quantity of iron and steel material of all kinds which has ceased to serve any useful purpose.
§ Mr. Glenvil HallDoes my right hon. Friend include beacons at pedestrian crossings in that category?
§ Mr. MorrisonI have already answered a Question by my hon. Friend on that point.