§ MR. HANBURY (Preston)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether, during the two years 1891–2 1275 and 1892–3, of the 50 firms to whom orders were given for paper, 29 sent in supplies which it was thought necessary unconditionally to reject; whether these firms are still on the list of those invited to tender; and what is the objection raised either to striking their names off the list, or to granting a Return of the names, with the prices and quantities of the articles thus unconditionally rejected?
§ THE SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Sir J. T. HIBBERT, Oldham)The answers to the first two paragraphs are in the affirmative. The names of the 29 firms were given in the Return of 27th March, 1893. The rejections bear only a small proportion to the supplies accepted from the same firms. To strike the names off the list would narrow to an inconvenient extent the purchasing area of the Stationery Office; but orders have been given that in any future case in which supplies may be sent in, which are clearly below the qualities contracted for, the firms sending them in shall be called upon to explain, and, unless the explanation is satisfactory, they will be struck off the list.
§ MR. HANBURYDid the same firm send goods which were rejected in more than one year?
§ SIR J. T. HIBBERTOne firm in the course of two years sent in on 76 contracts, and of these 69 were accepted as satisfactory, and seven rejected.