HC Deb 01 October 1941 vol 374 cc582-3
73. Mr. R. Morgan

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply what is the full nature of the instructions issued to local authorities in respect of the requisitioning of iron and steel railings for scrap purposes?

Mr. Harold Macmillan

Local authorities in England and Wales were asked on nth September to complete a survey of the railings in their areas within six weeks and to schedule those which in their view were unnecessary. They have been asked to interpret "unnecessary" so as to exclude from scheduling railings which in their opinion serve a useful function and which, if removed, would require to be replaced by some other material. In particular, railings required for safety purposes or to prevent cattle straying, and railings of historic interest or special artistic merit will not be scheduled. The requisition of railings will commence as soon as possible after these schedules have been received. The scheme will be extended to Scotland shortly, as soon as the necessary arrangements are completed. A copy of the instructions to local authorities is being placed in the Library of the House.

Mr. Thorne

Am I to understand that when the survey is made it is intended to requisition all the railings, and is the Minister aware that not long ago a statement was made that all the iron from wrecked houses was not required for blast furnace and steel-making purposes?

Mr. Macmillan

The first step is to make a schedule, and the second step is to requisition the railings as and when they may be needed, and to take them stage by stage for the purposes of iron and steel manufacture.

Mr. Thorne

Is it intended to take the large girders and so on in parts of London and other parts of the country where houses have been bombed?

Mr. Macmillan

They are being moved at a very satisfactory rate. I think the figure given me was that about 8,000 tons were moved in the course of last week.