§ MR. LLOYD (Wednesbury)I beg to ask the Civil Lord of the Admiralty if the half-inch bolts and nuts are usually specified in their contracts as hand-made; if the half-inch bolts and nuts now being supplied, or recently supplied, are in accordance with the specification on which the orders were given out; whether the bolts and nuts now being sup- 1405 plied are partly hand-made and partly machine-made, and are very inferior to the samples on which the tender or tenders were based; and if permission may be granted to makers and others to inspect the sample bolts and nuts on which the tenders have been obtained?
* SIR U. KAY-SHUTTLEWORTH (Lancashire, Clitheroe), who replied, said: There are three contracts under which half-inch bolts and nuts are supplied—namely, wrought iron, bright steel (machined), black steel (not machined). In none of them are the bolts and nuts required to be hand-made. In the first two contracts the supplies have to be in accordance with pattern, but in the last with specification only, subject to inspection. There is no reason to believe that supplies inferior to those contracted for have been received. When tenders are invited the patterns are accessible to makers.