§ 79 and 80. Mr. W. Fletcherasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) what was the total value of indents for locomotive spare parts received from Nigerian Railways since 1945; and what is the total value of such indents that have been fulfilled;
(2) what indents for vital spare parts for locomotives and rolling stock for moving groundnuts from the Kano area are still unfulfilled; and whether indents for similar spare parts from other Colonies have been fulfilled.
§ Mr. Rees-WilliamsThe total value of indents for locomotive spare parts received from the Nigerian Railways since 1945 including new boilers, is £516,300 (and for rolling stock spare parts £164,480). Of these indents to the value of £207,900 (and £17,661 respectively) have been fulfilled. It is impossible to indentify particular spare parts as being required for moving groundnuts from the Kano area, but no doubt it is true of most of these indents that their fulfilment is necessary to complete that task. There are also similar 229W unfulfilled indents for other Colonial Railways. All these indents have been treated as urgent and every effort is being made to speed up deliveries.