HC Deb 13 June 1887 vol 315 cc1732-3
MR. WATT (Glasgow, Camlachie)

asked the Secretary of State for War, Whether the statement which appeared in The Morning Post of the 10th instant, to the effect that the Government were now placing contracts for iron goods direct with manufacturers, instead of with "middlemen," having special regard to the quality of goods supplied, and not, as hitherto, exclusively to the matter of price, is correct; if this applies to goods of all descriptions required by the War Office; and, if he is prepared to consider the advisability of issuing a Circular to this effect to well-known manufacturers of high repute, who have hitherto abandoned submitting tenders for Government contracts, on account of the above-named reasons?

THE SURVEYOR GENERAL OF ORDNANCE (Mr. NORTHCOTE) (Exeter)

(who replied) said: Iron goods and all manufactured articles are invariably obtained by competition among manufacturers only, and any contractor found sending in goods not made by him would be liable to be struck off the list of contractors. The only recent change has been to enlarge the scope of the competition, and the result has been beneficial. No addition to the War Office Circular of 1881, which has been generally communicated to manufacturers, appears to be necessary. The hon. Member has, however, slightly misquoted The Morning Post, which referred not to iron goods, but to iron itself. In this case two well-known firms of iron merchants have been employed for many years as contractors to the manufacturing' departments for iron. When the practice of dealing with agents was discontinued in 1881 it was felt right to make some concession in favour of these two firms; and they are permitted, so long as the then principals continue in the business, to tender with manufacturers, naming in every case the maker of the iron for which they tender.

MR. MUNDELLA (Sheffield, Brightside)

Do I rightly understand the hon. Gentleman to say that if any contractor sends in goods which are not of his own manufacture he will be struck off the list?

MR. NORTHCOTE

NO one is to tender for goods not manufactured by themselves.

MR. MUNDELLA

In case of their doing so they are struck off the list?

MR. NORTHCOTE

They are liable to be struck off.

MR. HANBURY

Does that apply to the cases of Messrs. Latimer Clark and of Messrs. Wilkinson?

MR. NORTHCOTE

said, he should be glad to answer that question if the hon. Member gave him Notice of it.