§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that a stores branch already exists in Dublin, and that labour is as cheap, if not cheaper, and more required in Ireland than in England, he will arrange that all Post Office documents shall be printed on Irish-manufactured paper in Dublin.
(Answered by Lord Stanley.) As I informed the hon. Member on February 4th.§ 1904, printing work arising out of postal business in Ireland is already done in that country so far as is consistent with economy and efficiency. As regards the paper used for such printing, I am informed by the Stationery Office that it is their practice to invite Irish firms to tender with others for supplies of paper required for the public service. Such firms have, of course, an advantage in tendering for paper for delivery in Dublin; and it is open to them to tender for the supplies needed for use in all parts of the United Kingdom. In response to a recent invitation for tenders for sixty different sorts of paper for the public service forty-five tenders were received, but only one was from an Irish firm.