asked the Minister of Supply if he will undertake that all surplus Government motor cars of a size suitable for reconditioning for disabled ex-Service men will be made available for them and will not be sold to Government Departments, Government corporations or to the general public.

Government owned cars cannot be made available to other users if they are required by Government Departments. Apart from this, all suitable cars are allocated to disabled ex-Service men, who are given priority over Government Corporations and the general public.

Why will the Minister not make available to disabled ex-Service men all cars which come from the Services and which are surplus to requirements? Why does he allow them to be sent on to Government Departments and Government corporations?

I have said they do not go to Government corporations. They are not surplus to Government requirements if they are required by Government Departments. Unless I am able to use secondhand cars to meet these urgent Government demands I should have to buy new cars, which I am sure would be wrong at this time.

In view of the fact that the Minister of Transport informed me a week ago in this House that there were only 966 disabled ex-Service men on the waiting list, could my right hon. Friend give some indication when he expects the requirements of those men will be met?

Very few cars suitable for this purpose are coming forward. Of the 2,800 cars that have come forward only 223 have been used by other Government Departments, so that nine out of every 10 have gone to ex-Service men. I will do my utmost to reduce that list as soon as I can.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that it would be much more desirable to give these cars to ex-Service men than to high officials of the Government?

I have said twice today already—and it is perfectly true—that the Coal Board is not given priority over ex-Service men. Nor will it be.

Is it not a fact that the Minister answered me only a few weeks ago saying that over 2,000 of these cars, suitable in size for ex-Service men—that is of 14 h.p. and under—had, in fact, been sent to Government Departments or Government corporations?

No.

But yes.

When the right hon. Gentleman is considering this matter will he take into account the number of cases of 100 per cent. ex-Service men, where the Minister of Transport has refused even to accept their names? Consequently, the figure of 966 is not the full figure.

I am aware that there is a considerable demand, but the fact is there are not the cars to meet it.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.

asked the Minister of Supply why it is intended to introduce a magazine covering the royal ordnance factories; and the weight of paper which will be involved per annum in this publication, together with the weight in the datum period.

The object of the "Royal Ordnance Factory News" is to assist co-operation between workers and management and so to improve production. The circulation is at present 10,000 copies, and publication is fortnightly. Each issue involves 3 cwt. of paper.

Would the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to answer the last and most important part of my Question?

I am afraid I am not clear to what the hon. Gentleman refers when he speaks of "the datum period."

I thought it was a Government expression. What I want to ask the right hon. Gentleman is, how much of this paper was used for this purpose before the war?

Royal Ordnance Factories were developed during the war.

No.

They were developed then.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind the great need for some publication of this kind to explain the Ministry's policy to the workers in the Royal Ordnance Factories?

Yes, Sir. We have ample evidence that the house journal which has been started is doing very good work.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) if it is intended, when all United Kingdom requirements have been met, to use the five factories, now operating, for the production of aluminium houses for export, especially to the U.S.A.;

(2) if, when Government quotas for aluminium houses are completed, it is intended to use the five factories, now operating, for the production of prefabricated school classrooms and hospital wards.

The future use of these five factories is at present being considered by the Departments concerned, and the suggestions made by my hon. Friend will be borne in mind.

asked the Minister of Supply what the procedure is for the disposal of ex-W.D. motorcycle tyres; whether distribution of these tyres is confined to recognised tyre dealers; whether all dealers can get an allocation if they wish; and whether the selling price to the public is controlled.

These tyres are sold by competitive tender, and any recognised dealer may apply to be included in the list of firms invited to tender. The prices charged to the public are subject to the provisions of the Board of Trade Secondhand Goods Order.

Could my right hon. Friend assure the House that only registered, recognised hire dealers are permitted to tender for those supplies?

People who are suitable to buy hem are included on the list.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is aware of the shortage of steel tubing for dairy byre fittings; and if he will arrange a special immediate allocation of steel.

No, Sir; but I will have inquiries made if the hon. Member will be good enough to let me have details.

Could the right hon. Gentleman state, in view of the vital importance of food production, whether the dairy farmers have any priority in obtaining steel tubing?

We would certainly do our utmost to see that such a demand was met.

Are we to understand that my right hon. Friend is prepared to allocate steel tubing, which is very short at the moment and is required for essential industries, for the purpose indicated in the Question, when there are substitute materials for that purpose?

We would allocate it if advised by the Ministry of Agriculture that it was necessary for full production.

Could the right hon. Gentleman inform the House whether any of the essential steel tubing has been diverted to the weird rail contraption newly erected in front of the rearmost benches of the House?

Will the Minister say how much of this steel tubing is being allocated to the shipyards?

Not without notice, I am afraid.

How much is allocated to the back benches?