HC Deb 28 February 1955 vol 537 cc1690-2
4. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent the new rifle for use in the British Forces will be manufactured in Britain on exactly the same pattern as the Belgian Fabrique Nationale rifle; and whether the system of continental or British measurements will be used in its manufacture.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

Rifles produced in the United Kingdom will be made on the same pattern as the Belgian rifle. They will be manufactured to inch drawings, for the reasons stated by the then Minister of Supply on 7th May, 1954.

Mr. Wyatt

Since they are to be manufactured on inch drawings and not on metric drawings, is not it clear that the parts will not be interchangeable with the Belgian rifle still manufactured in Belgium, and does not this do away with much of the argument in favour of standardisation advanced a year ago by the Government?

Mr. Lloyd

I understand that many of the parts will be interchangeable.

Mr. Wyatt

Is not it clear that not all of them will be interchangeable and that we were told that the great advantage was that they would all be interchangeable?

Mr. Lloyd

The argument about standardisation was always addressed to standardisation with Canada and the Commonwealth countries.

Mr. Strachey

Will the Minister explain why this further alteration and modification was effected, because it has undoubtedly caused great delay, and if it enables standardisation in one direction it would clearly prevent it in another? It seems inexplicable.

Mr. Lloyd

If the right hon. Gentleman will look again at the statement of 7th May, he will see the reasons fully set out.

8. Mr. Chetwynd

asked the Minister of Supply how many Belgian Fabrique Nationale rifles have been procured; and how many have been ordered from Belgium.

Mr. Selwyn Lloyd

In all, 14,400 of these rifles have been ordered and 4,600 delivered.

Mr. Chetwynd

Can the right hon. and learned Gentleman say why, if the Belgians are not having to modify their rifle, we are having to modify ours? If the need for this new rifle is so urgent, as was stated over a year ago, why have we not gone ahead with orders there instead of playing about in this country as we have done?

Mr. Lloyd

We thought it was better to wait until troop trials had taken place.

Mr. S. Silverman

Has the right hon. and learned Gentleman read the Government's White Paper on defence? If he has, having regard to its contents, will he tell us what these rifles are likely to be use for?

Mr. Lloyd

I hope the hon. Member has read the White Paper with the same attention as I have. Obviously our Armed Forces have to be armed with some conventional weapons.

Mr. Strachey

Can the Minister tell us plainly now why the troop trials he has just mentioned were not undertaken immediately this Government came into office, why they have not yet been undertaken, and why production could not have been begun immediately after those troop trials, which should have taken place three years ago?

Mr. Lloyd

The right hon. Member should put down a Question to the Secretary of State for War regarding the timing of troop trials.

Mr. Callaghan

Has not the real trouble been that the previous Minister was so busy denationalising steel that he shilly-shallied and hesitated in taking decisions for over three years both about rifles and aircraft? Is not the best thing that has happened to the Ministry of Supply since 1951 that the Minister has left it?