Allocation of Released Army Vehicles
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THERE was more discussipn on the 1 return of impressed and requisitioned vehicles in the House of Commons last week. Major Lyons asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply approximately how many heavy vehicles had been found redundant, what steps had been taken to give the original owners the opportunity of repurchase, and how had fair sales prices been fixed.
Mr. Harold Macmillan replied' that no heavy vehicles had been found redundant, The War Office, however, had released a number, of impressed machines to alleviate the position of civil transport. No arrangements had been made to offer them to the original owners, except in the case of any pub. lic-service vehicles becoming available, when negotiations would take place to give the original owners an opportunity to repurchase. Very few of this type would be released, however.
Major Lyons asked for details of the controlled conditions under which 800 vehicles had been disposed of by agreement, in August last, between the Ministry of Supply and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. He wished to know how the number was apportioned to S.M.M. and T. members.
Under the scheme, replied Mr. Macmillan, the vehicles were allocated to their respective original manufacturers, Up to October 3 the number so allocated had increased from 800 to 1,325. He was sending the Member a list showing how many had been allocated_ to each maker.
Two further points were then raised by Major Lyons and Capt. Strickland, respectively. The former wished to know whether, if members submitted particulars from which it appeared that the contract had been faulty, the Minister would personally look into the allegations and verify whether or not they were warranted in fact. This question was answered in the affirmative. The latter inquired whether the Minister was not satisfied that this Departmental action would do much to prevent the scandal of speculation in Army vehicles such as occurred after the last war, Mr. Macmillan said, "Yes, that is why we adopted it."