§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether quantities of high explosives and detonators have been destroyed since the Armistice; if so, how much has been destroyed; whether he is aware that farmers and agriculturists have in vain made applications for cheap explosives for clearing tree stumps, etc.; that it is at present impossible to obtain explosives for this purpose at a lower cost than 6d. per tree; and whether he will give instructions that these explosives be sold to farmers at salvage rates instead of being destroyed?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYIt is the case that certain quantities of high explosives and detonators have been destroyed since the Armistice. I have no figures as to the number of detonators destroyed, but they were not of a quality for which there was any demand. The quantity of high explosives destroyed amounted to 980 tons approximately; it consisted of sweepings, and was quite unsuitable for the purpose specified in the question. With regard to the third and fourth parts of the question, a few applications have been made for small quantities of explosives for this and similar purposes. The Ministry is not in a position to make the material up into suitable cartridges and retail them, but we are endeavouring to arrange with the explosives trade to take over certain quantities of cordite, with a view to its issue as a cheap blasting material.