§ MR. PURVIS (Peterborough)On behalf of the honourable Member for Walsall I beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury, as representing the Postmaster General, whether he is aware that much dissatisfaction has been expressed by cycle manufacturers who were not asked or allowed to tender for the supply of the 300 bicycles recently ordered by the-Post Office; and will care be, taken in future either to make the competition entirely open or at least to allow to all well-recommended manufacturers the opportunity of tendering?
§ MR. HANBURYThe machines required by the Post Office are not ordinary stock machines, but have to be made to a specially prepared specification, and the Postmaster General does not think it desirable that a contract of this description should be entirely open. He will, however, carefully consider whether on the next occasion the competition can be enlarged, and, in the meantime, will take note of the names of all well-recommended manufacturers who may wish to tender.