§ 1. £47,000, Supplementary, Ordnance Factories.
§ *MR. WEIR (Ross and Cromarty)said he desired to know if there were any 513 penalty clauses in the contracts connected with the ordnance factories for non-fulfilment of contracts. If there wore, did the contractors get off scot-free, or were the penalties enforced, and if not, why not?
*THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE WAR OFFICE (Mr. J. POWELL-WILLIAMS,) Birmingham, S.There are penalty clauses in the contracts. Whether they are inflicted or not depends upon the excuse which the contractors make. The hon. Member who has asked the question knows as well as any hon. Member in this House the difficulties which the contractors have had in fulfilling their contracts, owing to the difficulty of obtaining materials.
*MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSWell, if he does not know it I know it. Some of the contractors have failed to fulfil the terms of their contracts in a good many cases from circumstances over which they had no control. In some cases the penalties had been exacted, and in others they had not.
§ MR. WEIRthought, if the War Office would invite tenders from a larger field instead of tying themselves to a small number of firms, the difficulties would not arise. The War Office confined themselves to two or three firms, and when there was a rush of orders they could not get them out. He was sure, if they spread their orders over a larger area, they would have an unlimited supply.
*MR. J. POWELL-WILLIAMSThere are only two or three firms who do certain particular kinds of work, and, therefore, it is impossible to invite tenders from a larger number.
§ Resolution agreed to.