Lieutenant-Colonel ALLENasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that a communication was received by the county Armagh County Council, Ireland, in March, 1918, from the Surplus Government Property Advisory Council, to the effect that the latter was prepared to consider applications from county councils for disposal of certain Government road plant stores; whether he is aware that a communication was sent to the Director-General of Military Railways on this subject by the county surveyor of Armagh County Council in March last; if the Director-General of Military Railways replied that the road plant could be inspected at Richborough, Kent, by the end of March last; if he is aware that two representatives of the Armagh County Council visited Richborough on the 10th April last, inspected the plant, selected and purchased two Foden steam wagons at £570 and six trailers at £45 each, at the same time arranging for delivery of this plant within a month; whether a communication was received by the Armagh 1138W County Council on the 16th of April last from Brigadier-General May bury in which he stated that it was not likely that they would have any trailers for disposal, and that with regard to Foden wagons there was a large number of local authorities waiting for these, and that he had placed the name of the Armagh County Council on the list for the purpose of communicating again when wagons of this type were available; whether he will direct that the war stores inspected, purchased, and delivery agreed on by the representatives of the Armagh County Council will be delivered forthwith; and if he will say why preferential treatment was given to English local authorities on plant definitely sold to an Irish local authority?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLThe disposal of the plant in question is a matter for the Road Board, to whom the correspondence was referred.