§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will give details, showing the usual practice adopted by his Department in loaning to public bodies and private individuals barbed wire; and what procedure must be adopted to obtain the loan from his Department of this material.
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§ Mr. Hattersley:Loans of stores or equipment to individuals or to civilian organisations or authorities generally require the approval of the Ministry of Defence. The criteria against which applications are judged are that loans should be required for purposes of Service or national interest as distinct from private importance, that the requirements cannot be met from normal civilian sources, and that the loans can be made without detriment to military needs. An application to the Ministry of Defence for a loan must therefore state what is required and for how long, and why it cannot be obtained from the normal civilian market. It must also give a clear indication of the purpose for which it will be used.