The MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEasked the Secretary of State for War, what amount of the sum (page 62, Army Estimates, 1909–10) of £701,000 voted for forage and allowances in lieu, and paillasse straw had been expended, respectively, upon oats, home-grown; oats, grown abroad; hay, home-grown; hay, grown abroad: straw, home-grown; straw, grown abroad?
The HON. MEMBER furtherasked the Secretary of State for War what were the total sums included in the Army Estimates, 1909–10, of £701,000 voted for forage, etc., expended upon hay and corn only for the Regular Army quartered in Great Britain and Ireland and for the Territorial Forces, respectively, the values of home-grown and grown abroad to be specified?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for WAR (Mr. Haldane)In reply to these two questions I would point out that the Army Contracts for Army Forage do not contain any specification as to sources of supply—whether home-grown or grown abroad—and accordingly it is not possible to give the detailed information required. Further, it would involve considerable 727 time and labour to calculate the expenditure on the different kinds of forage, and as the object of the Noble Lord's question appears to be to differentiate between home-grown forage and forage grown abroad which cannot be given, I hope he will not press for the other figures.
The MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINEMay I understand that so far as possible, for the purposes of recruiting and not for the purposes of Tariff Reform, forage will be bought in the districts where the yeomanry are recruited?
§ Mr. HALDANEWe always try to give local contracts to encourage the people about. It makes them more friendly to the military operations which take place in the locality. But on the general question we make the contracts under such conditions as will get for us the best stuff.
The MARQUESS of TULLIBARDINESpeaking generally, is it not the fact that nearly the whole of the meat bought last year for the Scottish Territorial regiments came from Liverpool?
§ Mr. HALDANEI was not aware of that.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEMay I take it that all the contractors in the neighbourhood of the Curragh and Newbridge in the county Kildare will get a preference over foreigners in the interests of local produce?
§ Mr. HALDANENo. These contracts are given where we can get the best beef.
§ Mr. KILBRIDEThe right hon. Gentleman knows well that there is no better beef in the world than is produced in Kildare.
§ Mr. HALDANEIf the contractors give the best meat at the lowest price we shall be glad to deal with them.