§ MR. TALBOT (Oxford University)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War whether the War Office have assimilated their practice to that of the Office of Works in the matter of the use of leadless glaze in china and earthenware goods ordered by contract.
LORD STANLEYThe existing War Department contract for earthenware goods, which runs for three years and has been in force since the 1st February, 1900, prescribes the use of leadless glaze.
§ MR. TALBOTI beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty have assimilated their practice to that of the Office of Works in the matter of the use of leadless glaze china and earthenware goods ordered by contract.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe matter is now under consideration in connection with the tenders for next year's supply of earthenware goods, the manufacturers having been asked to give alternative tenders for the ordinary and the leadless glaze.
§ MR. TALBOTI beg to ask the Secretary to the Treasury whether the use of leadless glaze on china and earthenware 1365 goods is now required in the Departments over which the Treasury has control.
§ THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY (Mr. AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN,) Worcestershire, E.I am obliged to my right hon. friend for calling my attention to this matter. I find that nearly all the china and earthenware required by the Departments referred to in this question is supplied by the Board of Works. In the few cases in which this is not done I will endeavour to arrange that the use of leadless glaze shall as far as possible be insisted upon. I am, however, informed by the Postmaster General that he has not, as yet, been able to secure sufficient numbers of properly glazed insulators for telegraph purposes treated without lead, but he hopes that before long the present difficulties may have been overcome, and that he may be in a position to give orders that only insulators treated with leadless glaze are to be used.