§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether in January, 1920, when efforts were made to ascertain the number and condition of the 3,700 lorries and motor vehicles at Cologne, there was no list of chassis numbers or report of their condition available at the Disposal Board; whether certain firms tendering obtained permission to send their engineers to Cologne, and it was agreed to send a Government valuer to Cologne the night prior to their departure, so that he could meet them and decide on the price of the lorries; and whether on the arrival of the engineers they were informed, after considerable expense had been incurred, that no officer had the power to deal, that no valuer had arrived, nor was he coming, and that they should return to London?
Mr. HOPEThe answer to the first of the question is in the affirmative. The vehicles had only lately been thrown up for disposal, but instructions had been given to prepare the necessary lists. Certain firms obtained leave to send representatives to Cologne, and it is regretted that the valuer who should have met them was detained by urgent business in France. In no case, however, would he have had power to conclude a sale.
§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether on 10th February, 1920, a definite offer was made to the Disposals Board for 1,023 motor vehicles at Cologne; whether this offer was never asknowledged; whether on 12th February a joint offer by three firms was made in a communication to Colonel Spurrier for 1,626 lorries at £375 per lorry; whether this offer was never acknowledged by Colonel Spurrier; whether on 20th February another client offered in writing to Colonel Spurrier to purchase the whole of the park, and asked for an interview; whether their offer for 3,000 lorries was 421W never acknowledged; whether on 26th February, at an interview with Colonel Spurrier, this officer assured the intending purchasers that he had never seen their offer, although it was sent to him by special messenger a week previously; and whether the letter for this offer of £1,000,000 was then produced?
Mr. HOPENo trace can be found of such an offer as is suggested in the first part of the question. As stated by my hon. Friend on 8th March an inadequate offer for 1,626 lorries was made and rejected. I am informed that an offer was received through Messrs. Baxter and Caunter for the whole park, but no price was mentioned. This was not forwarded to Colonel Spurrier, as the Board had decided to have no further dealings with Messrs. Baxter and Caunter. Nothing is known of the alleged offer of £1,000,000.
§ Brigadier-General CROFTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether Colonel Spurrier, at the interview of 26th February, stated that the price for lorries at Cologne was £725 per lorry; whether he had in fact sold 666 Thorneycroft lorries for £400, whilst he had an offer from these same clients for £425 per lorry; whether the average price of the lorries in Cologne was stated officially on 3rd March to be £387 in Cologne; and whether an offer was made at this time to Colonel Spurrier for the A.E.C. lorries at £550, and refused by him?
Mr. HOPEColonel Spurrier did not state that the price of lorries at Cologne was £725 per lorry—he did in fact sell 666 Thorneycroft lorries at £400 each, delivery to be taken at Colognein situ. He did not have an offer for £425 a lorry on the same conditions as those that he sold for £400. The average price of the Cologne lorries sold was £387. An offer for £550 may have been made for A.S.C. lorries, but as Messrs Baxter and Caunter and their agents and partners, the Société Commerciale Franco-Britannique, were firms that the Disposal Board had given definite instructions not to have any dealings with, nothing further was done.