NEW SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 30, 3 August 1940, Page 11

NEW SYSTEM

CONTROL OF MUNITIONS PRODUCTION

CHAIN ORGANISATION

FULLEST USE OF INDUSTRY

(By Telegraph—-Press Association—-Copyright.)

LONDON, August 2.

The "Daily Herald" says that henceforth 13 Ministries of Supply instead of one will direct the production of munitions in Britain. Twelve junior Ministers of Supply will be stationed at key-points in the industrial districts and will immediately take over the active control of important features of production from the parent Ministry. The establishment of a chain organisation, the newspaper says, is the main feature of the plans of the Minister of Supply, Mr. Morrison, for making full use of Britain's industrial capacity. In effect the detailed supervision of output, plant, and manpower, is being transferred from Whitehall to the workshops. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, August 1. Explaining the Government's new plans for the fullest employment of the industrial capacity of the country in meeting war requirements, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply, Mr. H. Macmillan, described the structure and functions of the new area boards. Each of the 12 area boards has six representatives of local industry (three employers and three trade unionists) and five official members representing each of the departments mainly concerned, namely the Supply, Aircraft Production, and Labour Departments,' the Admiralty, and the Board of Trade.

The chairman and vice-chairman are representative either of the employers or the trade unionists. In three instances a trade unionist is chairman.

Mr. Macmillan said: "The new boards have the extremely- important function of using their own knowledge of local industry to ensure that its capacity is fully employed, or, if it cannot be employed as it stands, that its labour and plant are transferred to points where they can be used. The board will also be available to advise contractors where best to place subcontracts.

"One of the boards' duties will be to carry out a complete inspection, of machine tools, following. the Ministry of Supply's recent census of machinetool working hours. The boards will.be concerned with the allocation of capacity in their districts as between the requirements of the different Government supply departments and will be able to give advice when priority questions arise. The boards also will act as controllers of war production in their areas if communications break down."