§ MAJOR RASCH (Essex, E.)I beg to ask the Under Secretary of State for War whether he will agree to a return as to the terms of the contracts with Lipton and Whiteley respectively in connection with the recent manœuvres; and if he will state whether any fines or 1094 penalties were enforced; and, if so, on what account?
§ MR. WYNDHAMThere is no objection to giving the return asked for by the honourable and gallant Member. To prevent any misconception, I may point out that, whereas Messrs. Whiteley competed against other firms for the transport contract, the War Office entered into an agreement with Messrs. Lipton without competition. In the first case, therefore, no prices can be quoted, since prices in competitive contracts are confidential; in the second, the return would give the schedule of prices which was distributed to the troops. No fines or penalties were enforced.