§ Mr. Bossomasked the Secretary of State for War whether the proficient recognised rifle club members form an integral part of the scheme of national defence; and whether the existing scheme of control and restriction over ammuni- 92W tion and rifle ranges now in force signifies that they are now considered of no value.
§ Mr. BellengerMembers of rifle clubs are a valuable source of potential assistance to national defence by virtue of being proficient rifle shots. The importance of rifle clubs is fully recognised and it is certainly not the case that they are considered to be of no value.
§ Mr. Bossomasked the Secretary of State for War what are the prices at which .303 rifle ammunition and .38 revolver ammunition are supplied to the National Rifle Association by his Department; whether he is aware that the Kent County Rifle Association was recently offered by his Department .303 rifle ammunition at £8 10s. per 1,000 rounds; and if he will arrange for the sale of rifle ammunition direct to county rifle associations at the same price as charged to the National Rifle Association.
§ Mr. BellengerWith the exception that a free issue of rifle and revolver ammunition is made to the National Rifle Association for expenditure at their annual meeting at Bisley, the Association is charged a price which represents the cost of the ammunition. The current price for .303 rifle ammunition and .38 revolver ammunition is approximately £10 3s. and £10 4s. per 1,000 rounds respectively. I am not aware that any offer has been made by my Department to the Kent County Rifle Association, but if that Association has applied to purchase rifle ammunition from my Department the price quoted would have been the price current at the time. The Kent County Rifle Association can already buy rifle ammunition at the same price as that which would be charged to the National Rifle Association by my Department.
§ Mr. Bossomasked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that before the war the Kent County Rifle Association received a free annual supply of .303 ammunition, but that this is now refused; and if he will give the reason for this refusal.
§ Mr. BellengerBefore the war a Territorial Army divisional commander was allotted ammunition for each man armed with a rifle on the strength of such of his units as belonged to the Territorial Army Rifle Association. He could sub-allot it for use by Territorial Army personnel at the Territorial Army Rifle 93W Association central meeting, or at County Rifle Association or Regimental Rifles meetings in his divisional area at which Territorial Army rifle competitions took place, provided that the programme met with his approval. The quantity issued did not exceed the number of rounds required for members of the Territorial Army taking part in the competitions. Until the Territorial Army Rifle Association is revived the question of renewing the allocation of ammunition under this arrangement cannot be considered. So far as I am aware, there has never been a direct issue of free ammunition from the War Office to County Rifle Associations.