§ MR. H. LEWIS (Flint Boroughs)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the total number and amount of the penalties incurred by contractors for delay in the fulfilment of contracts during the financial year ending 31st March, 1897; whether any of such penalties have been enforced; and, if so, in how many cases; and what is the total amount of the penalties recovered from the contractors?
§ MR. MACARTNEYPenalties amounting to £80,000 were incurred by contractors for shipbuilding, gun mountings, and armaments in 87 cases during the period in question, and the penalties were enforced in two cases to the extent of £60.
§ MR. ALLAN (Gateshead)Arising out of that answer, may I ask whether any penalties have been exacted from the builders of the engines of the Powerful and Terrible, seeing that they have broken down?
§ MR. MACARTNEYI am not aware that any penalties were incurred by the builders of the engines of the Powerful and Terrible, or that the statement of the honourable Member that they have broken down is correct.
MR. GIBSON BOWLESWill the Admiralty consider the advisability of in future holding people to their contracts?
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