HC Deb 15 July 1947 vol 440 cc209-10
30. Mr. Stokes

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now make arrangements to hand over to the civil administration in Germany for German civilian use the motor vehicle parks on the Lubeck-Hamburg and Hamburg-Bremen autobahnen which, with other parks, contain approximately 100,000 vehicles, so that they may be saved from further deterioration and assist in reducing the transport shortage in Germany.

Mr. Bellenger

The approximate number of vehicles held on Army charge in vehicle parks in Germany is 77,000, and of this number some 6,000 are now in course of transfer to the surplus disposal authorities. The remaining 71,000 vehicles consist of both usable and repairable stocks which cannot be handed over to the civil administration. They are required to maintain the Army in the immediate years ahead as the export drive and the rehabilitation of home industry have necessitated the temporary suspension of new production vehicles for Army use. Arrangements are in hand to speed up the complete reconditioning of these vehicles, and are being made for their subsequent storage and preservation after overhaul.

Mr. Stokes

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are substantive reports available that show that at the end there will be more than 15,000 vehicles which have been completely scrapped for waste? Is it not possible for the Army to state precisely what they want over the next five or six years and to let the rest go for civilian services?

Mr. Bellenger

No, Sir, there will be none of these vehicles available for civilian purposes. We want all the serviceable vehicles we can get out of this stock, which is the only stock we can call upon in the next two or three years.

Mr. Stokes

Is my right hon. Friend aware that at the present rate of overhaul it will take over eight years before all can be completely overhauled, and most of them will be rotting?

Mr. Bellenger

I would not agree with that. We are stepping up the repair of these vehicles.

Mr. Frank Byers

Will it not take more than two or three years to get down to the inspection and repair of vehicles at the end of the queue? Will the right hon. Gentleman look into this, as the vehicles are going to waste, and a considerable number will not be useful to anyone at all?

Mr. Bellenger

Yes, but they cannot be used by civilian authorities. [HON MEMBERS: "Why not?"] If we once let them go, we shall not have any call upon them for the British Army. We have already 55,000 released for disposal in Germany from Army stocks, and 20,000 in Holland and Belgium.

Mr. Anthony Greenwood

Will my right hon. Friend see that some of these cars are made available to British ex-Service men in this country?

Mr. Bellenger

No, Sir, I regret that that is not possible; most of these vehicles are not of that type.

Mr. Martin Lindsay

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there is not, and has not been, any waste of these vehicles, and that they are not rotting away?

Mr. Bellenger

I could not give that categorical assurance. I should say that in all armies of the size we had in the war, there is bound to be waste. I regret it, but we are doing our best to avoid it.

Mr. Stokes

I beg to give notice that, owing to the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I will raise this matter again.