§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for War the present approximate number of typewriters in the possession of his Department, how many are required, and how many are to be released as surplus during the current year.
§ Mr. LawsonAbout 93,000 are on charge to my Department, of which some 4,000 are in use at the War Office and the balance in the Army generally, but, as stated by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on 14th May, in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend many of those on charge to the Army may ultimately have to be written off as casualties. Surpluses are reported as they arise. About 5,000 were returned to H.M.S.O. Depots as surplus during the first six months of this year, apart from any disposals overseas which may have been arranged through the inter-departmental146W machinery for the local disposal of surpluses. It is anticipated that surpluses will continue to be declared during the remainder of the year, though I cannot give any reliable estimate of the numbers.