§ DR. MACNAMARA (Camberwell, N.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War an urgent Question, of which I have given him private notice, arising out of an Answer which he gave yesterday, viz., whether he will state who were the contractors who supplied 1,350,816 tins of jam for South Africa, each containing twelve ounces instead of sixteen ounces, as per contract?
§ *THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR (Mr. ARNOLD-FORSTER, Belfast, W.)The Question I have had from the hon. Gentleman refers to another set of contracts. The hon. Member's Question asks for the names of the contractors who supplied the emergency rations, and the meat and vegetable rations. Is that the hon. Member's present Question?
§ DR. MACNAMARANo, Sir. What I am asking is for the information promised yesterday.
§ *MR. SPEAKERA Question on the Paper, not yet reached, cannot be answered. I understood the hon. Member was asking a Question which was important, in view of the Army Estimates coming on, and of some pledge that an Answer should be given to-day.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERI did undertake to give an Answer to-day. I saw the hon. Member this morning, and I understood that he desired me to anticipate the Question on the Paper. I will give him this Answer now, and the other Answer the moment the Question on the Paper comes before the House.
§ DR. MACNAMARAI now ask for a fulfilment of the pledge which the right hon. Gentleman gave, viz., that he would state the names of the contractors in respect of the jam supplied.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERAs a matter of fact, we made no contracts for jam. I believe that they were made in Australia. I did understand the hon. Member to ask me for the names of the contractors mentioned in his Question on the Paper to-day, and I have the names in my hand, and I will give them to the hon. Member.
§ DR. MACNAMARAWell, I will take them.
§ *MR. SPEAKERI hardly follow what is going on. If the right hon. Gentleman is proceeding to ask at 3 o'clock a Question on the Paper which has not been reached, that will be out of order.
§ DR. MACNAMARAWith great respect, let me explain that I am asking for the redemption of a pledge given here yesterday, that we should have the names of the contractors in respect to the supply of 1,350,816 tins of jam, which are alleged to have contained twelve ounces instead of sixteen.
§ *MR. SPEAKERThat I understood was a Question different to the one on the Paper.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERHon. Members know well enough that I have no desire not to answer any Question 215 that is asked. The hon. Member was good enough to see me this morning, and he told me that the Question he had put down in reply to my suggestion yesterday could not come on until Monday. I understood that was the Question on the Paper to-day, and I have been furnished with the particulars. We did not, as a matter of fact, give any orders with regard to the jam; but if the hon. Member desires to ask the Question down for Monday I shall be glad to answer.
§ DR. MACNAMARAThe Question which I put now agrees substantially with that which I propose to ask on Monday.
§ *MR. SPEAKERIf I had been aware that the Question the hon. Member was putting was already on the Paper for Monday I should not have allowed him to ask it. The subject cannot be pursued; it is five minutes to three o'clock.
§ SIR JAMES WOODHOUSE (Huddersfield)On a point of order, Sir, yesterday the Secretary of State for War promised to answer to-day my Question as to who were the contractors for the jam supplied to the Army in South Africa. I wish to ask whether the right hon. Gentleman is prepared to answer it now.
§ *MR. ARNOLD-FORSTERIt is not on the Paper.
§ SIR JAMES WOODHOUSEI did not put it on the Paper because the
§ right hon. Gentleman promised to give me an Answer to-day.
§ *MR. SPEAKEROrder, order! This discussion cannot proceed.