§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the Government in Ireland through the Local Government Board, intend to exercise the power of imposing restrictions on local boards of guardians in refusing to allow a recoupment from the local taxation account, unless the guardians accept the lowest tender for the supply of drugs or other articles contained in the prescribed lists; and whether, under the present system, Irish firms are precluded from tendering for supplies to English boards of guardians.
(Answered by Mr. Bryce.) By Article 10 of the Order of the Local Government Board for Ireland, dated December 20th, 1905, it is provided as follows:—Recoupment from the Local Taxation (Ireland) Account will not be allowed in any case where the guardians accept a tender other than the lowest tender received by them for the supply of drugs or other articles contained in the prescribed lists unless the Local Government Board, on application being made to them by the guardians for that purpose, approve of the acceptance of such tender. In reply to the latter part of the Question, I beg to refer to the reply given by my right hon. friend the President of the Local Government Board to a similar Question addressed to him by the hon. Member for West Mayo on Wednesday last.†
†See (4) Debates, chii., 435.