§ MR. J. W. MACLURE (Lancashire, Stretford)I beg to ask the First Commissioner of Works whether the chairs in the Reporters' Gallery and furniture in other parts of the House are of foreign manufacture; and why preference is given to foreign over British and Irish trade?
§ MR. AKERS-DOUGLAS (Kent, St. Augustine's)The only furniture of foreign manufacture in the Houses of Parliament consists of a limited number of chairs which were two years ago supplied to some of the rooms occupied by representatives of the Press on account of the lightness of the articles and their special suitability for the purpose. Except in such particular cases, preference is always given to articles of British manufacture.