GOVERNMENT WORKS AT SLOUGH. (Hansard, 14 April 1919)

§ VISCOUNT MIDLETON
My Lords, I am sure that nobody on this side or in any part of the House would wish to raise any discussion on the names. But I should like to ask the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack whether, as this Committee was unable to be appointed and cannot sit before Easter, it is the intention of the Government that all the work should 318 proceed exactly as if the Committee had not been appointed at all; and whether he would use his influence to induce the War Office to avoid entering into any fresh contract for the Minister of Munitions and Supply, or whoever is in charge, and to take on no fresh men during the period before the Committee has had time to consider the situation. That is one point. I should also be very glad if we might hear from the noble and learned Lord whether the Government still adhere to their determination to keep the whole vast mass of £15,000,000's worth of spare parts and motors for their own service at a time when the whole of the motor industry is demanding these spare parts, and the whole question of facilitating that part of the trade of the country is hung up.

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
The noble Viscount will, I am sure, understand that it would be hardly practicable, not having been apprised that such an inquiry would be addressed to me, for me to give him any satisfactory answer; but I will at least assure the noble Viscount of this—that I will see that the representations which he has embodied in the form of these two questions are both carefully and accurately conveyed to the War Office. If the noble Viscount desires anything further, I think I shall have to ask him to put a Question to-morrow.

§ VISCOUNT MIDLETON
The noble and learned Lord will probably understand that we have credited the Government, in proposing this Committee, with having taken careful cognisance of the condition of the scheme; and it occurred to me as certain that the members of the War Cabinet and the noble and learned Lord would have been apprised of the intention of the Government in so important a question as this in proposing such a Committee.

§ THE LORD CHANCELLOR
I am not quite sure that I follow the noble Viscount exactly. This Motion was on the Paper contingently two or three days ago, and the noble Viscount must forgive me for pointing out that it would have been very easy for him, as the Motion stood in my name, to point out to me three days ago that he intended to raise the very practical question to-day as to whether or not the policy of the Government was that in the meantime, while the Inquiry was being 319 prosecuted, these works should be discontinued. If it had occurred to the noble Viscount to mention that he intended to raise that very important point, I should have been very careful to arm myself with information, and it would have been very easy to do so. The noble Viscount did not take that course. He has asked me a question without any previous warning. If the noble Viscount had attached sufficient importance to it he would have availed himself of the opportunity; and I regret I am not in a position to satisfy him.

§ THE LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL (EARL CURZON OF KEDLESTON)
May I suggest to the noble Viscount that he should put down a Question to the representative of the War Office in this House? My noble friend Lord Peel is not here at the moment, but I am certain that he would be prepared to answer a question of that sort if it were put to him. If I may say so, it was hardly fair to put it to the noble and learned Lord on the Woolsack, whose function, as I understand, in moving the names of this Committee, is purely an official one. He is not necessarily acquainted with the business, while the War Office is. If the noble Viscount will, either to-morrow or the next day, put a Question down, we will do our best to answer it.