§ 65. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Supply the total sum realised in disposing of 50,840 tyres, 23,310 inner tubes and 344 tons of tyre and tube scrap at auction sales since 1st January, 1955; and how this compares with the total purchase price of the tyres and tubes.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe total realised was £190,948. It is not practicable at this length of time to trace the original cost.
§ 66. Mr. Doddsasked the Minister of Supply if he will give a list of the Departments to which circulars were sent, giving details of the surplus stocks of paint as well as tyres and inner tubes offered for sale at public auction sales since 1st January, 1956; and what business was transacted with other Government Departments as the result of this method of notification.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe Ministry of Works took 1,500 gallons of paint from a recent sale and there is a possibility that the 9W General Post Office may take a small quantity. No other Department said that it needed any of the surpluses.
The Ministry of Supply, as the provisioning Department for tyres, uses surpluses from one Department to satisfy demands from other Departments wherever possible. Only when there is no known requirement at all is a surplus offered for sale.
Following is a list of Civil Departments which were sent auction catalogues: