§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Treasury what administrative action the Government have decided to take in view of the "Evidence and Report of the Lords Committee on Sweating" to put a stop, by more efficient inspection and more stringent forms of contract, against subcontracting or otherwise, to the practice of sweating, so far, at any rate, as work done for Government Departments is concerned, as to one of which Departments the Director of Contracts has himself stated that—
The evidence given before your Lordships has tended to show that our contracts have been used for some years as a vehicle for sweating, and that the whole of the sweating business has been carried out almost under the protection of the War Office.
§ MR. W. H. SMITHThe remark which the hon. Member quotes applied only to accoutrements, and with regard to these I must refer him to the answer he received to a similar question on the 25th of July last.
§ MR. C. GRAHAMWill the right hon. Gentleman state if any War Office contracts have been given to foreign firms, and if so how many?
§ MR. W. H. SMITHA Return giving the information the hon. Gentleman desires will be presented to the House.