§ MR. HOWARD VINCENT (Sheffield, Central)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the marks on the pencils supplied to the Public Offices, namely, "V. (Royal Crown) R. Broad Arrow. Civil Service. A Foreign Name. Broad Arrow. Bavaria," imply that such pencils, although bearing the British Crown, the Royal Cypher, and the British Government Brand, are made by foreign workmen, although paid for by British taxes; and, in such, case, when the order was given; under the authority of what Department of State; what was its total amount; why it does not appear in the Parliamentary Return "Contracts with Foreigners" of this year or last; whether tenders were invited from British manufacturers giving employment to British workmen, and using lead raised in Cumberland or other parts of the United Kingdom; and what was the theoretical saving to the National Exchequer in this State encouragement of a foreign instead of a British industry?
THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. JACKSOX, Leeds, N.)The Crown, Royal Cypher, and Broad Arrow marked on lead pencils used in Government Departments, are placed upon them as a means of identification under the Public Stores Act, 1875; the addition of the name of a foreign country is made under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1887, when the pencils have been manufactured abroad. Pencils are not purchased by the Stationery Office under running contracts, but in lots as required from time to time. In the last 10 years no order has been given for pencils to any "contractor outside the Kingdom." The orders given are not for pencils manufactured in any particular country, or from materials produced in any particular place, but for pencils of the kind required by the several Departments. I am unable to say what the theoretical saving is from purchasing foreign-made pencils, as there are no means of saying what would be the effect of limiting the orders to homemade pencils.
§ In reply to a further question by Mr. HOWARD VINCENT,
§ MR. JACKSONsaid: I believe that what happens is this. Different kinds of pencils are tried, and then the form is 196 decided upon. In this case, the order was given to a London firm.
§ MR. HOWARD VINCENTI beg to give notice that I will call attention to this matter in Committee of Supply.