§ Mr. CROOKSasked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give particulars as to the quantity of outside orders now being carried out in Woolwich Arsenal; and whether there is any possibility of further steps being taken to increase the volume of work in the Arsenal by accepting contracts for other work in order to avoid the discharges taking place and to provide work for ex-Service men and others now unemployed?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONAs regards the first part of the question, the alternative work at present carried out at the Arsenal includes 100 locomotives, 2,500 new wagons, wagons and lorries for repair, and a variety of orders of a miscellaneous character. The approximate number employed on this class of work is 1,756, which represents about 20 per cent, of the total productive labour in the Ordnance Factories. As regards the second part, the various points raised by the deputation received at the War Office on the 28th October are being carefully followed up.