§ Sir R. Youngasked the Minister of Supply, whether he is aware that many people engaged in air-raid precautions work desire the use of steel helmets; whether, seeing the supply for such persons is not yet adequate, he will explain 273W how a universal store in Warrington was selling them to the public at 10s. 9d. each; and will he inquire how the supply of such useful articles came into the possession of the sellers?
§ Mr. Harold MacmillanThe answer to the first part of the Question is "Yes". Inquiries that have been made in Warrington do not disclose that any firm there now has stocks of steel helmets. A certain number of helmets have been on sale to the public in Warrington and elsewhere within recent months. A number of these, however, were not of service pattern. The Ministry of Supply has now requisitioned for Government purposes all suitable helmets included in wholesalers'. or retailers' stocks, when the number exceeded ten, but it has not proved possible to trace every helmet placed on sale. For a statement on the general question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 19th September to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Lipson). An Order was made on 5th October controlling the production of steel helmets.