§ 47. Mr. Bellengerasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any accountancy or costing supervision is being exercised by His Majesty's Treasury over contracts placed in Canada for the provision of armaments or munitions destined for the armed forces of Great Britain?
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sir John Simon)The responsibility for ensuring that the terms of contracts are reasonable rests on the Departments which have placed the contracts. I understand that the Departments have taken the usual precautions in the contracts to which the hon. Member refers.
§ Mr. BellengerWould the right hon. Gentleman elaborate what the usual precautions are? Are they those which apply to British manufacturers supplying somewhat similar articles?
§ Sir J. SimonI have made inquiries of the Departments concerned, and the answer I have given is based upon their information. I am not myself able to say, in answer to a supplementary question, what the exact details are.
§ Mr. BellengerMay I take it from that answer that the answer is in the negative?