§ Mr. ROSEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions if he will state the terms upon which the Government acquired the site and obsolete buildings utilised for the construction of the Royal Explosive Factory, Victoria Works, Wincham, Cheshire; what proportion of the £534,000 spent upon building and equipment was paid to the Salt Union and Messrs. Brunner, Mond and Company, Limited; and who advised his Department that this expenditure was useful only for war purposes?
Mr. HOPEThe site and original buildings referred to were not acquired by the Government, but were rented from the Salt Union, Ltd., at £750 per annum, with an option to the Ministry to purchase at the fair value of the works as existing on 1st January, 1916. The information asked for in the second part of the question cannot be supplied on such short notice, but I am having a statement prepared on the subject which will be forwarded to the hon. Member as soon as possible. The advice on which the Minister acted was that of the responsible officers of his Department.