§ Major PRESCOTTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether any attempts have been made to cancel the last contracts given for B 5 new pattern boots; whether the contractors making the boots have been communicated with a second time, and told to deliver the original quantity ordered; whether some explanation can be given as to why this has been done; if he will state the average issues of boots per week to the British Army for the last three months; and what are the issues per week at the present time?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have been asked to reply. As regards the first three parts of my hon. and gallant Friend's question, I am informed by my hon. Friend the Deputy-Minister of Munitions that inquiries were made with a view of ascertaining if cancellation could be made of existing contracts should circumstances render such a course of action desirable. 67W Representations were, however, received from the manufacturers that the cancellation of contracts would seriously dislocate the trade and entail loss both to them and to the State. In a few cases where contractors were willing and desirous of cancellation, the contracts are being cancelled. As regards the last two parts, the average weekly issues of boots for the last three months were nearly 10,000 pairs, and the present weekly issues, based on the past three weeks, are 6,816 pairs.
§ Mr. PRESCOTTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Munitions whether orders have lately been placed for large quantities of war-time-pattern boots; whether it is admitted that these boots are unsuitable for peace-time service; and who is responsible for such a transaction taking place?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have been asked to reply. No orders for Army boots have recently been placed. The answer to the second part of my hon. and gallant Friend's question is in the negative. It is essental that soldiers during peace-time should become accustomed to the boots to be worn on active service. A stock of boots must be held for service purposes, and these would deteriorate by storage unless issues are made in peace-time to afford the necessary turnover.
§ Major PRESCOTTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether he will give the quantity of Army marching boots (B 5), old and new patterns, now in stock; whether the pattern of the Army boot is to be changed for peace-time wear, and, if so, has a new pattern been put forward; and why no decision on this matter has yet been given?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have been asked to reply. The stock of ankle boots is 1,485,000 pairs. It is not proposed to change the pattern of Army boot for peace-time wear, and no pattern of boot specially for peace-time wear has been considered.