HC Deb 06 June 1921 vol 142 cc1537-9W
Captain REDMOND

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give further details of Item J, described as Liquidation of Ministry Production, running expenses of national factories, purchase of stores for other Government Departments, etc., and amounting to £165,062,378 18s. 10d., and appearing on page 3 of the Ministry of Munitions Appropriation Account, 1919–20, ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 5th May, 1921 (White Paper No. 102); what is the amount of compensation payments due to the cancellation of contracts included in this item; what is the amount of expenditure under each of the described headings, Liquidation of Ministry production, running expenses of national factories, and purchase of stores for other Government Departments; and what is the amount of expenditure described under the head, etc.?

Mr. YOUNG

Owing to the fact that the record of expenditure in 1919–20 in the books of the Disposal and Liquidation Commission was not kept under the categories referred to in the hon. and gallant Member's question, it is not possible to furnish the information in the form required. An analysis of the expenditure has, however, been made from the information available, and a statement is appended giving the approximate expenditure under various sub-heads. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Command Paper No. 1055 (pages 8, 12, and 13), which deals with the progress of liquidation by the Ministry of Munitions.

The following is the statement referred to:

Analysis of Expenditure under Subhead "J," Ministry of Munitions Vote, 1919–20.
£
Approx.
Capital Advances and Recoverable Loans 8,363,000
National and Ordnance Factories 10,902,000
Aircraft 40,786,000
Tanks 3,651,000
Ferrous Metals 3,838,000
Non-ferrous Metals 7,485,000
Mechanical Transport 4,518,000
Clothing 18,352,000
Equipment 5,296,000
General Engineer Stores 10,157,000
Building Materials 1,097,000
Railway Materials 4,188,000
Guns, Rifles, Ammunition, Bombs, etc 33,177,000
Machine Tools 887,000
American and Continental Agency 10,844,000
Miscellaneous, including general Disposal Expenses, Net 1,521,000
£165,062,000