§ 98. Mr. J. Crowderasked the Secretary of State for War if he is now satisfied that our troops in Korea have got adequate winter clothing, Army cookers and space heaters; and if he will make a statement giving the reasons for the delay in issuing a sufficient number of these articles.
§ Mr. HeadI would refer my hon. Friend to my answer on 29th January to several Questions on the supply of winter clothing. I am not aware that there has been any shortage of Army cookers. I would ask him to await my reply to a later Question on the provision of space heaters.
§ 99. Mr. Ian Harveyasked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements are made for the issue of space heaters to British troops serving in Korea.
§ Mr. HeadThe United States manufacture a space heater well suited to Korean conditions and, since nothing of this type is manufactured in this country and the United States undertook to supply our troops with space heaters, it was agreed last August that our needs in Korea should be met in this way. In the event, owing to shortages in their stocks, 113W deliveries were slower than expected and our men have had to bear their share of the deficiency. The position was that 1,500 of these heaters were issued in October and towards the end of last month our full needs, 3,900 heaters, were met.