asked the Minister of Supply if he will ensure that the machine tools being imported into this country for our re-armament programme are adequately supplied with spare parts; and if he will ensure that these tools are delivered as quickly as possible.

Yes, Sir.

Can the Minister give an absolutely categorical assurance that there have been no instances where machine tools have arrived slightly damaged and without the necessary spare parts, so that there has been some loss of time in getting to work?

I am not aware of any such instance.

asked the Minister of Supply whether arrangements are in hand for creating strategic reserves of high-speed steel and tungsten-carbide engineers' cutting tools for use in connection with machine tools under the defence programme; and if he will make a statement.

No, Sir. The normal arrangements of the industry are such as to provide a reasonably effective reserve.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the maximum utilisation of our available machine tool capacity and the extension of shift working in the engineering industry for the defence programme depend entirely on adequate supplies of high-speed steel and tungsten-carbide engineers' small tools, and in view of our experience in the last war, even as late as 1944, would it not be propitious to expand this capacity and install reserves?

I agree with the first part of that question. This matter has been discussed with the industry. They are satisfied that they are able to provide a reasonably effective reserve.

Will the right hon. Gentleman deal with the other end of the problem, which is that unless the makers of cutters and other machine tools are supplied with the right type of steel from the nationalised steel industry they cannot make the tools? Will he give an assurance that they will receive those supplies?

That is rather a different question.

asked the Minister of Supply whether arrangements are now completed to secure adequate machine tool capacity of all descriptions to meet the requirements of that part of the defence programme scheduled for completion during the year ending April, 1952; and if he will make a statement.

Machine tool capacity will be adequate to meet that part of the defence programme scheduled for completion by April, 1952.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the new machine tools which are at present being installed in British engineering factories will be to the detriment of our essential export trade, or will the export trade continue unabated and will those tools sent overseas be replaced by American and other imported machine tools?

That is rather a broad question to answer in a single sentence. If brief, we are maintaining, and hope to be able to maintain, our export trade. Most of it goes either to Commonwealth countries or to countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. We are anxious not to cut down any of the exports to these countries.

In view of the right hon. Gentleman's statement at Crayford last Friday evening on the subject of importing European machine tools, can he tell us what he is doing to prevent German machine tools going East, behind the Iron Curtain, instead of westwards to this country?

That is a rather different question. We are buying all the machine tools we can in Western Germany.

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent the American machine tools required for the re-armament programme have been secured; and if the delivery position is satisfactory.

Priority ratings have already been granted for the majority of the orders for machine tools placed in the United States, and it is hoped that discussions now proceeding with the United States Government will result in satisfactory deliveries of all the American machine tools needed for the defence programme.

Will the right hon. Gentleman add to that reply and at least say that at the moment the programme of American machine tool procurement is going to plan and that there are no unforeseen hitches which may result in the machine tools on order not reaching us when we expect them?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) whether the Hawker P.1081 experimental aircraft in which Squadron Leader Trevor Wade lost his life was equipped with a Martin-Baker ejection seat, or what make of seat was fitted;

(2) whether the Martin-Baker ejection seat will in future become a standard fitment in all single-seat, high-speed experimental aircraft; and whether he will issue instructions for all such existing aircraft at present equipped with ejection seats of another make to be modified at once to take those of Martin-Baker design.

asked the Minister of Supply what type of ejector pilot seat was used by the pilot when the Hawker P.1081 aircraft exploded and killed the pilot.

asked the Minister of Supply what type of ejection seat was used in the Hawker P.1081 experimental aircraft in which Squadron Leader Trevor Wade lost his life; whether this type of seat is standard equipment in Service aircraft; and how many live drops have been completed with this type of seat.

The experimental Hawker P.1081 aircraft was fitted with an ejector seat made by M.L. Aviation Ltd., and preliminary indications are that the seat functioned properly. Two makes of ejector seat, this and the one made by Martin-Baker Ltd., have been approved for use in Service aircraft and it would be undesirable to have a monopoly of either of them. Live test ejections from aircraft are not called for by my Department and I am not aware of any having been made with the M.L. seat. I cannot accept the statement in Question No. 15 that the aircraft exploded.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the same measure of safety is afforded by the M.L. seat as is afforded by the Martin-Baker seat, in view of the fact that no live drops have been effected by the M.L. seat?

No live drop is called for before the device is accepted. I have no reason at the moment to doubt that the M.L. ejector is as good as the other one.

Has my right hon. Friend any evidence to show that the seat which, as I understand it, was fitted in this aircraft, which had not proved itself by a live drop, has been given any preference by the officials of his Department either for ordering or for development, compared with the seat which has proved itself with a live drop?

They have both been approved and considered by the technicians concerned to be reliable, and preliminary investigations have shown that on this occasion the seat did function properly. No preference is given to this ejector compared with the other one. Some seats are fitted with this and some with the other.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree, as a matter of principle, that in experimental flying, safety devices such as ejection seats shall be of the very best? Is it not a case that this seat, through which Squadron Leader Wade lost his life, had not had a live drop made from it?

That is quite true. I am advised that there is no need to have a live drop. There were dummy drops. I am advised that this is a very technical matter, but there was no need to have a live drop to prove to the satisfaction of my Department that this seat was good, and there is no reason at the moment to doubt that it was good.

In view of the high fatality rate among civilian test pilots, will the right hon. Gentleman go into this, matter in rather more detail and have proper tests carried out on both seats to establish which is the better, so as to give the test pilots the best equipment available?

The advice given to me was that both seats are equally good.

Could the right hon. Gentleman say whether any emergency exits have been successfully made by means of this type of seat?

I have said that no live drops were made with this type of seat.

asked the Minister of Supply what arrangements are made for the insurance of the lives of his Department's test pilots; in what sums are such lives insured; and upon whom rests the responsibility for the payment of premiums.

Test pilots employed by my Department are covered by the National Insurance Industrial Injuries scheme. Payments under this scheme may be supplemented by awards made by the Treasury under the Civil Service Injury Warrants, which make special provision for flying accidents.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that these meagre provisions are really satisfactory, in view of the hazardous nature of the flying that these test pilots daily undertake?

That is a difficult question to answer. A claim has been put forward for increased pay by these pilots, which is now being considered by the Treasury and my Department.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will take steps to expedite the supplies of steel plate and castings necessary to maintain the plant and equipment of the Malayan tin industry.

I am making inquiries about the particular orders involved to see what help can be given.

This state of affairs has been in existence for a long time. Can the Minister tell the House whether something can be done, as the rate of conversion to dollars of steel supplied to the Malayan tin industry is probably the highest rate of conversion of any use to which steel can be applied?

I am not aware of that and I am seeing if anything can be done.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he has agreed a maximum price for zinc scrap with representatives of the zinc users; on what date the agreement was made and from what date it had effect; and what the price agreed was.

Maximum prices of zinc scrap have been fixed by Statutory Instruments. Prior consultation with the trade interest concerned took place through the Ministry's Scrap Advisory Committee, on which the zinc users are represented. The current prices are set out in the Non-Ferrous Metals Prices (No. 3) Order, 1951.

Has the Minister received any evidence that these maximum prices have been infringed? If I show him an alleged case of infraction will he look into it?

I certainly will.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is now able to make a statement on the prospects for steel production and supplies in the current year.

As the answer is rather long I will with your permission, Mr. Speaker, read it at the end of Questions.

asked the Minister of Supply what difficulty he anticipates in obtaining the necessary raw materials for the armament programme; and what action he is taking to overcome them.

asked the Minister of Supply what arrangements he is making to ensure that the necessary materials, particularly steel and non-ferrous metals, are made available to manufacturers engaged in important rearmament projects.

The re-armament programme will make increasing demands on the supplies of raw materials available for all purposes. Action is being taken to increase supplies wherever possible, to promote economies in use and to eliminate use for less essential purposes. A solution of the difficulties is also being sought through international discussion.

Does the Minister share the view on raw materials and rearmament expressed recently in the "Tribune," in which he is a nominee shareholder?

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied with the progress of international meetings about raw materials?

They are still proceeding, but I should like to have seen a conclusion reached much earlier. We are still hopeful that the outcome will be successful.

asked the Minister of Supply why his form of contract for the manufacture of pick-axes for the War Office specifies that they shall be protected with corrugated paper and tied in two layers of unproofed hessian.

This packing is used to prevent damage to other stores with which the pick-axes are subsequently packed when they are despatched from War Office stores, but in view of the present shortage of materials I am considering whether this specification can be relaxed.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware of the concern at the recent sale of Government surplus stores at a public auction at Ruddington, Nottinghamshire, when new equipment which could be used by the Services was sold for £103,500 allowing substantial profits to dealers; and what were the principal items auctioned.

No, Sir. I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made in reply to Questions on 29th January last. The stores, which were practically all second-hand or obsolete, were mainly well-used items of contractors plant and second-hand clothing.

Does my right hon. Friend appreciate that there is a good deal of disquiet about some of these sales of stores? Would he give more careful attention to this matter?

I can assure my hon. Friend that a great deal of attention has been given to this problem, and that no stores have been sold which have not been checked and counter-checked by all the Service Departments to make sure that they are no use to them now and not likely to be of use to them in the future.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that his answer to that supplementary question applies particularly to the disposal of machine tools, many of which are of great use to sub-contractors?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he has taken in the last 12 months to acquire the British- owned supplies of tungsten ore which have been available.

The acquisition of tungsten ore, whether British-owned or not, for current consumption, has been the responsibility of private enterprise, but in recent months my Department have also bought.

How can the right hon. Gentleman square that answer with the fact that over the last 12 months more tungsten ore has gone to Sweden and Germany from Burma than has come to this country? If he was buying through private channels how is it that the men concerned have not paid the equivalent of the price got from the Swedes and Germans?

I do not know to what mines the hon. Member refers.

Consolidated Tin Mines of Burma shipped double the amount of tungsten ore to Sweden and Germany that came to this country in the last 12months. How can the right hon. Gentleman therefore say that he has done his best to get a better supply to this country?

As I said, the import of these ores is in the hands of private enterprise—a state of affairs the hon. Gentleman likes. They have the responsibility for buying all the ores which are available and which they think it is right to buy, but recently, since the Korean war, my Department have tried to buy, and we have succeeded in buying, various parcels which private enterprise did not want.

Could the Minister say how much he paid?

Yes, Sir, but I would rather not, because we do not want to disclose the stocks we hold.

Was there a limit on the price which the Minister advised should be paid?

Yes, we do not buy regardless of price.

The Minister has contradicted the statement he made as recently as 20th April, when he said:

"Purchase and import are entirely in private hands. But that does not mean that the Government are not buyers through existing channels."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th April, 1951; Vol. 486, c. 2171.]

If the Government are buying through existing channels, why have they not bought?

I have just said that they have bought.

asked the Minister of Supply what British-owned stocks of tungsten ore are available in Burma; and what steps he is taking to acquire these stocks through private channels.

I am not aware of any available British-owned stocks of tungsten ore in Burma. I understand that there are some stocks in that part of Burma which is under Karen control, but that they cannot be brought out at present.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I am not referring to the stocks under Karen control, but to the 50 tons of tungsten ore that have been available in the last three weeks, belonging to the Consolidated Tin Mines of Burma, and for which not a single bid has come from this country?

I will find out through the private importers, whose duty it is to buy ore, why they have not bought this ore.

On what grounds does the right hon. Gentleman say that the ore cannot be brought out? Has he made any effort?

Yes, Sir. I am advised that there may be small quantities of ore at this mine, which is isolated, that there is no labour available, and that for physical reasons it is, therefore, impossible to get hold of it.

If private enterprise are not doing the job, would it not be better to sack them and put in somebody who will do it?

Did the right hon. Gentleman's first answer mean that he was relying entirely on private enterprise to tell him whether or not there is a supply of metals available? If that is so, how can he say that he is responsible for steel hardening alloys when he does not know the facts himself?

I did not say I was responsible. The import of many of these alloying elements is the responsibility of private enterprise. They keep us advised of what they are doing and about parcels, which are available but which they do not want to buy themselves. They have not advised us of this particular parcel and I will make inquiries immediately.

asked the Minister of Supply whether, in view of the recent increase in railway freight charges, it is proposed to increase the amount allowed to accredited iron and steel scrap merchants under the Iron and Steel Scrap Control Order.

Under the Iron and Steel Scrap (No. 2) Order, 1951, the controlled maximum prices for iron and steel scrap were increased from 21st April to cover the recent increase in railway freight charges.