§ 50. Mr. A. Edwardsasked the Minister of Supply if his Ministry is still collecting iron railings and if in view of the stocks still unmelted, he will give directions to discontinue any further collecting.
§ 52. Mr. Tinkerasked the Minister of Supply if he can make a statement now on the removal of iron railings from churches, parks, etc., and give an assurance that no more will be taken unless he is of opinion that the stocks he has are likely to be exhausted.
§ The Minister of Supply (Sir Andrew Duncan)The scrap from railings has made a very valuable contribution to iron and steel supplies in a time of acute need. Only small, scattered quantities of railings now remain and as their removal would involve disproportionate labour and transport I have decided, in consultation with my Noble Friend, the Minister of Works, to suspend further collection.
§ Captain PluggeMay I ask my right hon. Friend if he will make it quite clear, when removing these railings—[HON. MEMBERS: "He has stopped removing them."]—that although the general public are using the open spaces, this use does not constitute or create in any form a right of way, and that the railings will be substituted by his Ministry as soon as metal becomes available?
§ Sir H. WilliamsMay I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman proposes to collect the miles of railings which now decorate the beaches of this country?