THE EARL OF HARROWBYasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Ministry of Defence will go into the Question, for Service vehicles, of differentially-coated (zinc) hot-dip galvanised steel for rust prevention, which was suggested by the British Steel Corporation (or any later development) despite the project not being welcomed by the motor manufacturers, bearing in mind the special liability in the case of the Services to the serious and proved economic implications of this menace.
EARL FERRERSThe Ministry of Defence are well aware of this process and of its value in resisting corrosion. Wherever possible, however, Service vehicle requirements are met by the purchase of standard commercial vehicles which do not normally incorporate this particular method of protection. For vehicles designed specifically for military purposes, the use of hot-dip galvanised steel is among the processes approved by the Ministry, but our experience is that it tends to be more expensive and that an acceptable level of protection can be obtained by other, cheaper, means. We shall continue to keep this process in mind, however, in relation to future orders for military vehicles.