HC Deb 08 March 1944 vol 397 cc2044-5
45. Sir Patrick Hannon

asked the Minister of Production whether, in view of the magnitude of the war production of the United Nations in relation to that of the Axis, he can now give figures of British war production comparable with those which have been published by the Americans.

The Minister of Production (Mr. Lyttelton)

Yes, Sir. I am glad the circumstances are now such that I can meet the hon. Member's request, and I propose to circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Hon. Members may, however, like to hear some of the salient figures now.

From the beginning of the war to the end of 1943, we have made in this country:—

  • 83,000 tanks, armoured cars and carriers.
  • Over 115,000 guns of calibres larger than 20 mm.
  • 150,000,000 rounds of gun ammunition.
  • Nearly 5,500,000 machine guns, rifles, sub-machine guns and automatic pistols.
  • Nearly 7,000,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.
  • More than 1,000,000 wheeled vehicles of unarmoured types.
  • Just on 90,000 aircraft, mainly of combat types.
Our naval construction has more than replaced our losses, so that by the end of 1943, in most types of vessel, our strength was greater than at the beginning of the war. These are heartening figures of which we have every right to be proud.

Sir P. Hannon

In view of the exhilarating statement which he has just made, will my right hon. Friend take steps to have this announcement of production during the war exhibited in the canteens in the principal industries throughout the country, the workpeople in which have done such marvellous work?

Mr. Lyttelton

I shall be glad to consider that.

Mr. Ellis Smith

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider going a little further and have this information published in leaflet form, so that it can be distributed among the soldiers?

Mr. Lyttelton

I will try to make some arrangement of that kind.

Mr. A. Edwards

Do the figures account for local production committees being no longer consulted?

Mr. Lyttelton

I do not admit that for a minute.

Mr. Edwards

Has the right hon. Gentleman had any protests from local production committees at not being consulted?

Following is the statement: Since this Island is a base for Allied operations and no factory, store or depot in the United Kingdom is outside the range of German bombers, it would obviously not be in the public interest to publish complete statistics of war production in this country. There can, however, be no harm, and it will certainly give no comfort to the enemy, if I make public for the first time a few actual figures to illustrate the magnitude of war production in this country. From the beginning of the war to the end of 1943 we have made for the Army alone:—
  • 83,000 tanks, armoured cars and carriers.
  • Over 115,000 guns of calibres larger than 20 mm.
  • 150,000,000 rounds of gun ammunition.
  • Nearly 5,500,000 machine guns, rifles, submachine guns and automatic pistols.
  • Nearly 7,000,000,000 rounds of small arms ammunition.
 In addition, we have produced hundreds of thousands of 40 and 20 mm. cannon guns and machine guns for aircraft, guns of all calibres from .5 inch to 16 inch for the Navy, and very large quantities of the necessary ammunition. We have manufactured more than 1,000,000 wheeled vehicles of unarmoured types for war purposes of every kind. We have produced just on 90,000 aircraft of all types, by far the greater part of which consisted of combat types. Just over 4/5 of all the aircraft we are now producing are combat planes—bombers, fighters and naval reconnaissance planes—the balance being made up of transports, trainers and target aircraft. When it is remembered how large a proportion of our output has been heavy bombers, each of which is equivalent in terms of man hours to four fighters and 40 primary trainers, it will be realised that the operational value of our production is far greater than the figures alone reveal. As a result we have been able to provide over three-quarters of the total structure weight of new aircraft delivered to the R.A.F. and Fleet Air Arm during 1943 from production in this country; 6 per cent. came from the rest of the British Commonwealth, while 18 per cent. came from production in the United States. Our naval construction has also been on a massive scale. At the end of 1943 our naval strength was greater than it was at the beginning of the war in most types of vessels, total construction having been more than sufficient to replace the losses which we have sustained, particularly in the earlier years. While the United States, in addition to their great naval programme, have carried the main responsibility of building the merchant shipping required by the United Nations, we have concentrated our main effort on naval work, and about 70 per cent. of our total effort in new construction is devoted to it. In addition, a large proportion of the labour employed in this country on repairs and conversions has been contributing to our naval strength by making merchant vessels available for operational use. Our own vast production has been helped and supplemented by supplies of war materials of all kinds from the United States of America and the Empire; and, whilst we may legitimately take pride in our own achievement, we shall never cease to be grateful for that aid.