§ MR. REESI beg to ask the Postmaster-General whether his Department has made separate contracts with Irish firms for tailoring, boots, and waterproofs for postmen employed in Ireland; and, if so, why similar arrangements cannot be made in respect of postmen employed in Wales.
§ THE POSTMASTER-GENERAL (Mr. SYDNEY BUXTON,) Tower Hamlets, PoplarAs regards contracts with Irish 887 firms I may refer my hon. friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Down on the 7th instant, of which I am sending him a copy. There is no separate branch of the postal stores department in Wales, and it would not be practicable to earmark for the Welsh service the work of a particular contractor. But I should be glad to receive tenders from Wales for the general supplies.
§ *MR. REESWhat is the exact difficulty in treating Wales in this respect in the same way as Ireland?
§ MR. SYDNEY BUXTONIt is not a separate branch of the postal department.
§ [No Answer was returned.]