§ 25. Brigadier Thorpasked the Secretary of State for War if, in view of the fact that a public inquiry is to be held on the retention by his Department of Ross Links, he will take steps to prevent the area from being used as ranges until the inquiry is completed.
§ Mr. ShinwellAs my Department already occupies Ross Links under Defence Regulation 51, there is no obligation to refrain from using the range until after the public inquiry, which is concerned with permanent acquisition. To do so would seriously interfere with the training of one Regular and four Territorial Regiments.
§ Brigadier ThorpIs the Minister aware that these ranges have not been used since the war, and is it not rather odd that just before the public inquiry 1082 it should suddenly be decided that it is necessary to use them?
§ Mr. ShinwellTo some extent, training of certain units was suspended, but I assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that, without regard to this Question, we propose to commence training on the 15th of this month.