§ 40. Colonel J. H. Harrisonasked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many houses and factories have been derequisitioned by his Department in the last year; and how many of each still remain requisitioned, together with their covered floor space.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasThirteen houses and two factories have been released from requisition by the Admiralty in the last year. Ninety-eight houses and seven factories are still retained. The aggregate covered floor space comprised in the factories still retained is 145,000 square feet. Details of the floor area of the retained houses are not readily available.
§ Colonel HarrisonWhile thanking my right hon. Friend for those figures, may I ask if he is aware that sometimes the public think that these houses or factories are not needed and are not being used to the best advantage by his Department? Will he look into that point?
§ Mr. ThomasI am sure that the houses and factories mentioned in my answer are very definitely needed. The factories are chiefly used for storage, in respect of which we are extraordinarily short in the Admiralty.
§ Mr. ThomasI cannot answer that question at the moment.