HC Deb 21 October 1942 vol 383 c1965
46. Mr. W. Brown

asked the Minister of Production the capital outlay for plant and machinery at the Royal Ordnance factory, the name of which has been supplied to him, and of factory No. 81, as compared with that in the case of British Manufacture and Research Company; and, in the terms of percentages, the respective outputs of these factories as compared with the same company?

Mr. Lyttelton

I do not think it is advisable to give the actual sum spent on machinery and plant, but perhaps the following comparison would serve the hon. Member's purpose. The capital outlay on plant and machinery at British Manufacture and Research Company exceeds the outlay at the other two, by approximately 14 per cent. and 30 per cent. respectively, but this does not take into account capacity provided by the company out of its own funds. I do not wish to give the comparative outputs for fear of giving information to the enemy. The comparison in any case would only be very rough because of the influence of sub-contracting and other differences in the output of the three factories.

Mr. Brown

If the Minister cannot give the figures for which I asked, which I understand, may I ask whether he is satisfied that we are getting as high an output at as reasonable and as low a cost at the two factories mentioned in the Question as at the factory not mentioned in the Question?

Mr. Lyttelton

In general terms I should say yes.