THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked His Majesty's Government if they will state the number of ammunition huts in Perth-shire which still contain explosives, as well as the total tonnage of explosive material therein; also how many of these huts contain respectively, detonators, gelignite, guncotton or similar high explosives, gas-shells and smoke-bombs, and whether there exist in Perthshire any stores of poison gas.
§ LORD NATHANAbout 60,000 tons of ammunition and explosives are stored in Perthshire at present, in about 6,000 small steel shelters. 605 of the shelters contain detonators, gelignite, guncotton or similar high explosives, 46 contain gas shells and 552 contain smoke bombs, and generators. The stocks include about 266 tons of poison gas ammunition. The shelters in question constitute about 60 per cent. of the ammunition dump centred on Aberfoyle, the remaining 40 per cent. of which is situated in Stirlingshire.
THE EARL OF MANSFIELDasked His Majesty's Government if they are aware that there are throughout Perthshire, and particularly in the Trossachs area, many thousands of huts containing a great variety of Army ammunition and high explosives; that these huts are usually sited by the sides of roads, often trunk roads; that there is hardly ever any sentry or guard placed over such huts, even where there is a large agglomeration of them; that the huts have often no ends so that the contents, usually in boxes of a portable size, are fully exposed to the 910WA view of all road users, and passers-by; that therefore, children, or ill-disposed persons, can loot from these huts at their leisure, just as much of these dangerous materials as pleases them; and what steps it is proposed to take, to put an end to this intolerable situation.
§ LORD NATHANVery large quantities of ammunition are still held in open field storage depots, including the one in the Perthshire area. This system of storage could not be avoided, owing to the vast quantities needed and the speed of production during the late war. But, as explained by my right honourable friend in another place, every effort is being made to dispose of the ammunition as quickly as possible; notwithstanding the restrictions on man-power and transport and the need for special safety measures when handling explosives, some 250,000 tons have been cleared during the last seven months. Meanwhile, although the dumps cannot be guarded completely, owing to their immense size, patrols and sentries are used to the limit of availability and the more dangerous material is segregated in wired areas and closely guarded. Generally speaking, the ammunition stored in open dumps is not dangerous unless tampered with. His Majesty's Government rely on the public to co-operate in this matter, as they did during the war years, until the ammunition can be wholly cleared. The danger of interference with the stores has been emphasized by wireless talks, notices, and warning talks given to children in schools by the police and educational authorities.
House adjourned at twenty minutes before five o'clock.