§ Mr. ROSEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Munitions if the estimate of £65,000,000 given by him as the cost of Government factories on Monday, 17th February, includes the cost of explosive and chemical works; and will he state the approximate cost of such establishments and to what extent, if any, the actual coat of building and machine equipment exceeds the original estimates?
Mr. HOPEThe estimated cost of national explosive and chemical factories is £28,000,000. This figure was included in the total estimate of £65,000,000 given in my answer of 17th February. The original estimates of cost were revised on several occasions during the course of the War to cover the developments in the schemes rendered necessary by our increasing military requirements. Authority for this increased expenditure was regularly obtained from the Treasury. The last estimate of the cost of the explosive and chemical factories, submitted in March, 1918, was approximately £27,000,000.