§ CAPTAIN NORTON (Newington, W.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state whether an inquiry has been held in South Africa with respect to the local purchase and supply of ordnance stores; whether this inquiry has revealed transactions of a fraudulent nature upon an extensive scale; whether inferior and even worthless equipment has been furnished at an extravagant price, to the inconvenience of the military authorities and to the detriment of the public interest; and whether, in view of the forthcoming debate upon Army contracts, he will immediately submit the Report of the Inquiry to the House.
§ MR. BRODRICKThe inquiry to which the hon. Member alludes was a private Departmental inquiry by four military officers, who, with the assistance of a financial Member, made a Report to the Commander-in-Chief on the purchases made by certain ordnance officers in South Africa. The Report by no means bore out the description given by the hon. Member. It has only recently been received, and no decision has yet been taken upon it. I can give no promise as to publication.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONAre we to understand that the Army Vote 9, which is about to be taken today, involving an expenditure of nearly £3,000,000 in connection with South Africa, is to be—
§ * MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! That is a rhetorical statement, not a Question.
§ CAPTAIN NORTONThen are Members of this House to be debarred from asking information?
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member was not asking for information.