HC Deb 15 November 1948 vol 458 cc4-7
8. Mr. Hugh Fraser

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that 36,000 pieces of radio equipment dumped by his Department in a disused pit shaft at Cheadle, Staffs, and declared in the House of Commons by his predecessor on 17th December, 1945, to be valueless, have now been recovered after the shifting and replacing of 200 tons of dirt and disposed of by private enterprise at a profit; and whether he will investigate the reasons for the original decision and make a statement on the matter.

Mr. G. R. Strauss

About 10,000 radio transmitters and transmitter receivers were dumped in this shaft. I cannot say how many were recovered, but I understand that no pieces have been removed since September, 1946, when an undertaking was given in an action in the High Court that no further equipment would be taken from the pit, which was then closed. When it was decided to dump these sets the question was whether it would have been economical to break them down for recoverable components. It was not considered economical to do so as they were damaged military types, unsuitable for civilian use, and at that time large quantities of serviceable parts were being sold competitively to the trade. In present conditions no set would be destroyed or dumped unless it was considered advisable on security grounds or unless it had been proved that there was no market for it.

Mr. Fraser

Is the Minister aware that of the so-called damaged sets, not one valve was damaged or had been removed? They were 22 valve sets. Further, is the Minister aware that there was a large number of rotary converters which have been sold at a large profit to industry in Lancashire, and that of the sets so dumped there were 8,000 complete sets which were sold at an average price of £8 or £10 a set? Is not this an extremely incompetent way of managing the country's business?

Mr. Strauss

I cannot accept all these facts. All I know is that there was no new apparatus of any sort put in this shaft, that all the second-hand apparatus which was put there was found to be absolutely unsaleable, and the space where these sets previously were housed was urgently needed for other purposes.

Air-Commodore Harvey

Why were these sets not put up for sale or tender in the first place, to give somebody a chance to make the profit, which apparently has been done since?

Mr. Strauss

They were found to be completely unsaleable.

Mr. Peter Thorneycroft

In view of the very serious allegations in this case, will the Minister give an undertaking to have a full public inquiry into the matter to ascertain the true facts so that the people responsible can be brought to book?

Mr. Strauss

No, Sir. I do not consider anybody is responsible for any negligence. This was about three years ago. Most careful inquiries were made to see whether this apparatus was saleable or serviceable in any way. It was only after the most careful consideration that it was found that it was not saleable and that the best thing to do was to dump it.

Mr. Vane

Rather than sell machine tools to Poles, will the right hon. Gentleman follow this precedent and put them into a pit?

Mr. Fraser

Is the Minister aware that his Ministry, or the Ministry of Fuel and Power, attempted to stop the extraction of this equipment, although the rights had been purchased by a man in that Division? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this was an effort by the Ministry to hush up what is nothing less than a major scandal? I have seen the sets, the valves and the rotary converters. They were new and undamaged, and they were of considerable value.

Mr. Oliver Stanley

In view of this direct conflict of evidence on what obviously is a most serious allegation, will not the Minister consider referring this matter to some form of public inquiry?

Mr. Strauss

No, Sir. If the hon. Member who raised the Question has some information contrary to that which I have given to the House——

Mr. Stanley

He has given it.

Mr. Strauss

—information which is supported by some evidence, I shall be very willing to look into the evidence and answer a further Question on the matter, if necessary.

Mr. Fraser

In view of the utterly unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I wish to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment, and I shall bring some of the machinery to the House to show to the right hon. Gentleman.

9. Mr. H. Fraser

asked the Minister of Supply how many sets of radio equipment and of what type have been buried in the Delphouse pit near Cheadle, Staffordshire; and whether, in view of the profitable recovery of sets from the Wonder pit nearby, he will concert with the Minister of Fuel and Power for their extraction.

Mr. G. R. Strauss

About 1,300 radio transmitters and transmitter receivers were dumped in the Delphouse pit, and 30,000 incendiary bombs were dumped on top of them. It would, therefore, be impracticable to recover the sets, which could not in any case be used for civilian purposes.

Sir Wavell Wakefield

Was the wireless trade given any opportunity to purchase these sets before they were dumped, in order to secure the component parts which are in such short supply and so urgently needed in this country and for export?

Mr. Strauss

These sets, and certainly the sets mentioned in the previous Question, were offered to the trade but they were unsaleable. These sets were not suitable for civilian use.

Mr. H. Fraser

The right hon. Gentleman said that the sets were offered, but is he aware that tenders were received in this country from Poland, Holland and France, and that they could not be taken because the sets were not put on the market?