asked the Minister of Supply whether, in view of the fact that certain raw materials and other supplies required by Great Britain and Northern Ireland for war purposes are being diverted to the neutral state of Eire, he will immediately take steps to see that all materials and supplies needed for the successful prosecution of the war are conserved for utilisation in war work within the United Kingdom?

From the information available, my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the arrangements for acquiring supplies essential to the prosecution of the war and for controlling their re-export from Great Britain and Northern Ireland are operating efficiently. If my hon. Friend has some particular case in mind, I shall be glad to investigate this if he will be so good as to furnish details.

:Will the Minister give an assurance that no materials or supplies required for our own purposes will be diverted under any circumstances to neutral countries?

The main supplies that we part with to Southern Ireland are fertilisers, to enable them to grow food, a large part of which comes back to this country.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, with a view to maintaining the framework of the building industry, he will consider relaxing the ban on civil building to allow a small well-distributed flow of work to proceed?

So far as the Ministry of Supply is concerned, no ban has been placed on civil building, except in so far as arises out of inability to release, for allocation by the Departments immediately concerned, more than a limited quantity of certain materials used in building which are in short supply. As regards this aspect of the matter, I am replying to another question by the hon. Member on the subject of timber.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware that the shortage of deliveries of timber is preventing the completion of work already in progress and the carrying out of essential building schemes and repair work; and whether some supplies of con trolled timber can now be released for the execution of such work?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given to a Question by the hon. Member for East Swansea (Mr. Mort) on 21st March. I can hold out no hope of the early release of larger quantities of timber than at present.

asked the Minister of Supply whether his attention has been called to the waste and extravagance now going on in the construction of a north western Government factory to which his attention has been drawn, and what steps he proposes to take to put an end to what has already become elsewhere a scandal?

I am unable to accept the allegations made by the hon. Member, but if he would care to furnish me with full particulars of any waste and extravagance in connection with the construction of the factory referred to, I will have the matter investigated.

:Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman assure this House that the ridiculous system employed by the War Office in the construction of Militia camps, payment of a fee, plus cost, plus extra fee, will not be continued in connection with the 37 or 50 factories, or whatever it is, which the Ministry of Supply contemplate constructing?

We are bound to go upon that basis where the factory is needed very quickly and the full design is not ready when the order is given to start. Only in exceptional cases are we adopting the method to which the hon. Member referred, and which I appreciate has some grave disadvantages, but we must complete some of these factories with the utmost speed.

:Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman assure us that far greater supervision and control, especially with regard to cost are exercised by the Ministry of Supply than have been exercised by the War Office?

All I can say on that is that we are seeing that effective control is exercised wherever we put that system into force.

asked the Minister of Supply by what authority his Depart- ment permit certain big firms to use scrap material in the manufacture of light alloys and why smaller firms are forbidden its use?

The use of secondary aluminium alloys is controlled under the provisions of the Control of Aluminium (No. 4) Order, 1939. Licences have been granted to a large number of firms to purchase secondary aluminium alloys and I am not aware of any discrimination between large and small firms in this respect. If, however, my hon. Friend would care to furnish me with particulars of any cases which he has in mind, I will certainly make inquiries.

Is my hon. and gallant Friend aware that the rolling mills are using scrap? Is not a concern at Slough also using scrap in the production of casting alloys, on the authority of the Air Ministry?

If my hon. Friend has any particular cases in mind and likes to speak to me about them, or write, I certainly shall be glad to look into them.

Why should there be one law for the big man with big money and another law for the little man with little money?

I believe I said that I knew of no discrimination between the large firms and the small firms—I suppose they are big men and little men.

Is it not very desirable lo have fair play all round?

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether a reasonable share of Government building work is being distributed in the northern area of England and local architects are being engaged in carrying out such contracts?

I have been asked to reply. Sites for the building schemes which are being carried out by His Majesty's Office of Works are selected with regard to the requirements of the Departments for whom the buildings are being provided, which precludes distribution on a purely geographical basis. Up to the present, the architectural staff of that Department has, on the whole, been sufficient to deal with the work, although in certain suitable cases local architects have been employed.

The Minister does not appear to have answered my Question.

If the hon. Gentleman will read the answer I think he will see that his Question has been met; in any case, he will see that it is largely a matter of opinion.

We cannot have an answer, then?