§ Lieut.-Colonel DALRYMPLE WHITEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether he is aware that at Chilwell, near Nottingham there have been found dumps of worn-out ironmongery, such as pails and saucepans, which are not capable of repair and only fit for scrap: whether a large proportion of these articles are being brought from overseas; whether a staff of over 120 persons are employed at this depot; and whether, if it is considered necessary to bring this scrap from overseas, arrangements will be made to dump it nearer the point of debarkation?
§ Mr. FORSTERI have been asked to answer this question. It is probable that dumps of unserviceable ironmongery exist at the Army Ordnance Depot at Chilwell as it is the normal procedure at such depots to sort the repairable and unserviceable stores from the equipments returned from France and elsewhere. Stores brought from overseas should not contain scrap, but it is unavoidable that a certain amount of the unit equipment should be found, after examination, to be unfit for further retention. I am not aware of any large accumulation of such scrap. The number of staff employed is as stated by my hon. and gallant Friend.