asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can furnish an estimate of the value of clothing and equipment issued to the Home Guard which has been written off as unaccounted for?

About £600,000 worth.

Do we understand that £600,000 of stores and equipment have been lost?

It is not a very large figure in relation to the total value of the equipment of the Home Guard. In any case, the bulk of it was alluded to in the Comptroller and Auditor-General's Report and presumably it will come under the scrutiny of the Public Accounts Committee.

Is it not correct to say that a good deal was destroyed during the bombardment of London by enemy action?

A material amount of it.

Is it the case that at that time the Home Guard had no equipment?

No, Sir.