§ MR. COURTHOPE (Sussex, Rye)I beg to ask the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any or all of the contracts for the supply of Portland cement to the Admiralty this year have yet been completed; whether all the firms and companies which have supplied cement to the Admiralty during recent years were invited to tender; if not, for what reason the omissions were made; and whether such firms or companies will be allowed to tender before the contracts are completed.
§ THE FIRST LORD OF THE ADMIRALTY (Mr. McKENNA,) Monmouthshire, N.The contract for the supply of Portland cement to the Admiralty this year has not yet been completed. All the firms and companies which have supplied cement to the Admiralty during recent years were not invited to tender on this occasion, because the general conditions of the contract have been changed; but most of the principal manufacturers have been invited and have submitted tenders, and these are now under consideration.
§ MR. COURTHOPEWhat is the change in the conditions of contract? Also why was it considered necessary to omit invitation to certain firms?
§ MR. McKENNAThe quantity required was so large, and in excess of what some of the firms now omitted were capable of offering. Generally speaking it was the smaller firms which were not invited.
§ MR. COURTHOPECan the right hon. Gentleman say roughly the quantity required?
§ MR. McKENNANot without notice.