§ MR. HARMSWORTH (Caithnessshire)I beg to ask the Secretary to the Admiralty if he can give the reasons which have caused increases in the prices of clothing materials, such as serge, flannel, duck, and twill, used in the Royal Navy; and if he can see his way to reduce the prices of these articles to the previous figures.
§ MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERThe prices at which clothing materials are issued to the men are revised every three years. They are arrived at by taking the average of the prices actually paid by the Admiralty during the previous three years, to which is added five shillings to cover establishment charges, losses, condemnations, etc. Any rise or fall in the prices charged to the men is the result, solely, of the rise or fall in the prices paid by the Admiralty. It is, therefore, impossible now to reduce the present prices without a loss to the Crown.