HC Deb 14 May 1956 vol 552 cc142-6W
65. Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War the reasons given for the poor condition of 1,090 items of pantees and vests which were offered for sale at the Government surplus sale at Ruddington on 1st May; how many were sold; and how the amount realised compares with the cost to his Department.

Mr. Head

These were very old stocks packed in war-time utility packs. They had become shop-soiled in store. They were all sold for £80. There is no record of the price originally paid for them, but the present cost of replacement would be about £240.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 8,700 brake linings are to be offered for sale at the Government surplus auction sales at Bicester on 8th May; for what purpose they were purchased; when they were taken into stock; the total cost; what further orders have been made or are contemplated for a similar type of brake lining; and what action has been taken for their use by other Government Departments.

Mr. F. Maclean

These are surplus to all future requirements. They were bought during the war, some for use with a gun which is now obsolete and some with certain types of tank. Their original cost is not known, but replacement would cost about £3,900. No further orders are intended. The brake linings were not offered to other Government Departments as they have only a specialised use with no civilian counterpart.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 38,000 dust excluders are being offered for sale at the Government surplus auction sale at Bicester on 8th May; why and when they were purchased; the cost price; and how they have been used.

Mr. F. Maclean

These were purchased during the war for fitting to the driving sprocket of tracked carriers. Their original cost is not known but to replace them would cost about £29,500. They are being disposed of because they are surplus to all foreseeable requirements. None of them have been used.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason for the purchase of leather knee pads and the decision to offer 1,300 for sale at the Government surplus auction sale at Bicester on 8th May; how far they have been used; the purchase price; and what further stocks will be ordered.

Mr. F. Maclean

Leather knee pads were last purchased in January, 1944, at a cost of 1s. 8d. each, for use by Royal Signals linesmen. None of the pads offered for sale had been used and the stocks retained are such that no further purchases will need to be made for many years to come.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 1,400 dry batteries and 3,000 dry cells are to be disposed of at the Government surplus auction sale at Bicester on 8th May; when they were taken into stock; the total cost; why other Government Departments have not arranged to make use of these surplus batteries and cells; and what further stocks are being ordered.

Mr. F. Maclean

These batteries and cells, which were taken into stock in 1952, had become unserviceable and were not, therefore, offered to other Government Departments. Their cost was £752 10s. The last orders for these items were for 23,000 dry batteries and 60,000 dry cells and were placed during the financial year 1955–56.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War the reasons for offering 8,900 rolls of insulating tape at the Government surplus auction sale at Bicester; why the tape has not been taken over by some other Government Department: and what further stocks will be ordered.

Mr. F. Maclean

This tape, which was part of large stocks purchased during the last war, has become unserviceable and is therefore useless to other Government Departments. No further stocks will be ordered before the financial year 1957–58.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 19,800 electric lamps which were offered for sale at the Government surplus auction sale at Bicester on 8th May; what types of lamps are involved; how far they are similar to electric lamps used in other Government Departments; what action was taken to acquaint other Departments of the surplus lamps; and what further orders have been made or are contemplated in respect of the purchase of similar lamps.

Mr. F. Maclean

These lamps, which are similar to a battery operated bicycle lamp, are surplus to foreseeable future requirements. None of this type has been bought since 1943 and no further orders will be placed. They are not listed as required by other Government Departments and were not, therefore, specially offered to them. As the hon. Member knows, catalogues of sales are sent to all departments and the lamps could have been withdrawn from the sale if a belated requirement had arisen.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason for offering 51,000 corks for sale at the Government surplus auction sale at Bicester on 8th May; and what further stocks of a similar type will be ordered in the near future.

Mr. F. Maclean

These were purchased during the war and are for use on the water jacket of the Vickers medium machine-gun. They are surplus to all foreseeable requirements and it is not intended to buy any more.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 11,000 folding chairs are being offered for sale at the Government surplus auction sale at Barlow on 14th and 15th May; why they were found to be of no further use by his Department; what further orders for this type of chair will be placed; and the total cost of these chairs.

Mr. Head

They are beyond economical repair and the cost of replacing them would be about £7,300. Orders for necessary replacements of unserviceable chairs are placed annually.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 2,043 clothes and polishing brushes to be offered for sale at the Government surplus auction sale at Barlow on 14th and 15th May could not be used by his Department in the future.

Mr. Head

These brushes are badly worn and could reasonably have been destroyed as unsuitable for further use. Instead they are being put up for sale.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 1,550 wood tables are to be offered for sale at Barlow on 14th and 15th May when Government surplus stocks are to be disposed of; and what action was taken to find further use for them by Government Departments before a decision was taken to offer them at a public auction sale.

Mr. Head

These tables are beyond economical repair and were not, therefore, offered to other Government Departments.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War why 87 pickaxe heads are to be offered at the Government surplus auction sale at Barlow on 14th and 15th May; and why further service could not be found for them by his Department.

Mr. Head

These pickaxe heads are blunted or bent. As they are not of standard weight and pattern and as sufficient stocks of the standard item are held for the Army's needs, it is more economical to dispose of them than to repair them.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War to make a statement in respect of the decision to offer 23¼ tons of blanket pieces at the Government surplus auction sale at Barlow on 14th and 15th May giving details of how this substantial quantity of blanket pieces accumulated.

Mr. Head

These blanket pieces are either unserviceable blankets for which no further use can be found or small pieces cut from blankets which have shrunk below the acceptable size and weight for normal use but are suitable as under-blankets. The pieces are accumulated at Ordnance Depots and periodically offered for sale by auction. So far as possible they are used as substitutes for expensive packing materials, but supplies exceed the requirement for this purpose.

Blankets have to be cleaned and, if necessary, reconditioned after withdrawal from one man and reissue to another. This process is very frequent in the case of blankets supplied for soldiers doing annual training, and wear is therefore much heavier than in the normal home

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War to make a statement in respect of the offering at the Government surplus auction sale at Barlow on 14th and 15th May of 850 adjustable chairs. 150 adjustable armchairs, 185 upholstered armchairs, 1,050 Suffolk chairs. 30 upholstered fireside chairs, 100 wood armchairs, 130 fireside chairs, 100 upholstered dining chairs, 1,330 miscellaneous chairs and 33 upholstered settees.

Mr. Head

This furniture is in poor condition and beyond economical repair.

Mr. Dodds

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the concern that has arisen when, as unused machines, the 28 air compressor machines purchased by his Department for £8,260 only realised £596 at the Government surplus sale at Manchester on 31st January; and why they were never used for the purpose for which they were bought of inflating tactical deception equipment.

Mr. F. Maclean

These compressors were unused because they had been stored for mobilisation purposes. They were disposed of after lengthy experiments in the field with five machines of this type showed them to be unsatisfactory, even with major modifications.