§ Major GLYNasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether any negotiations are taking place between his Department and the French Government with the object of arranging the terms upon which the French Government will purchase ail remaining British stores and material yet remaining on French soil; whether the value of material salved from France during the month of November was valued for much less than had been anticipated on account of weather, deterioration, etc., and whether he has consulted the War office and discovered that military opinion is strongly in favour of ceasing salvage operations forthwith, and so reducing the establishment of labour troops in France?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYWhilst negotiations have been concluded with the French Government for the disposal of very large blocks of surplus stores in France, including the whole of the railway material, there is a certain amount of surplus property which it is proposed to dispose of in other ways. The answer to the second part of the question is, No, Sir. With regard to the last part of the question, if my hon. and gallant Friend means by "salvage operations" the collection of stores from the battlefields into dumps, this operation, the responsibility for which has always remained with the War Office, is now practically completed. There is no intention of ceasing disposal operations. A scheme has been agreed with the War Office for the formation of a small Disposals Corps, which will have the effect of relieving military personnel from their present duties of guarding and handling surplus property. This scheme is now before the Cabinet.