§ MR. FIELDTo ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether he will arrange that the clothing contracts at present under the management and control of the War office, London, for the supply of official uniform to the various departments in Ireland shall be placed under an Irish controller with a receiving depot in Dublin.
(Answered by Mr. Birrell.) The clothing contracts for the Royal Irish Constabulary are not now under the management or control of the War Department, but are to be made directly by the Inspector-General, and arrangements are 1763 also being made for the equipment of a receiving and inspection depot in Dublin for constabulary uniforms. The cloth used by certain other departments in Ireland is tested by the Army Clothing Department, but the question of continuing this arrangement can be considered when existing contracts expire. The contracts are not otherwise controlled by the War Department.