§ MR. SLOAN (Belfast, S.)I beg to ask tho Secretary to the Treasury whether in view of the large sums necessary for the carriage of samples to London by Irish firms estimating for the work of His Majesty's Stationery Office, he will consider the advisability of meeting such costs and thus enable Irish contractors to compete on equal terms with those in London.
§ MR. MCKENNAI am informed that the only instances which can be found of Irish firms being requested to forward samples to the Stationery Office, are certain infrequent cases in which paper manufacturers have been invited to send up a single sheet of their special manufacture at a cost for carriage I suppose of one penny or even less. In these circumstances there does not seem to be a sufficient reason for adopting the hon. Member's suggestion.
§ MR. SLOANI will send the hon. Gentleman particulars of a case in which £50 was paid for carriage on a £1,000 contract?
§ MR. MCKENNAI shall be glad to have them.