§ MR. LANEasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what were the actual prices in the tenders submitted to the Admiralty by the Danish and Irish firms for the supply of mess pork; whether he is aware that the Irish contractors assert that they can supply better quality than the Danish; whether he is aware that the Danish Government have for many years past, through their Agricultural Department, spent large sums of money in promoting the improvement of the breeds of native hogs and of the methods of curing and packing; and, whether, under those circumstances, he will consider the expediency of giving the contract for supplying the British Navy to firms in the United Kingdom rather than to a Danish firm?
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Lord GEORGE HAMILTON) (Middlesex, Ealing)It is inexpedient, both in the interests of the Government and of contractors themselves, to name the actual prices quoted in the tenders for Government supplies, but I have no objection to stating that there was an average difference of 9½ per cent in favour of Danish as against Irish prices in the last tenders for salt pork. There is no reason to suppose that Irish pork is of better quality than Danish, and lengthened experience shows great 505 equality in this respect. There is no information at the Admiralty relating to the reported action of the Danish Government in promoting improvement in the breed of native hogs, or of methods of curing and packing. I am desirous, within reasonable limits, to favour home production for Government supplies, but I cannot undertake to reject tenders from abroad when it is manifestly in the public interest to accept them.