§ Mr. REMNANTasked whether the President of the Board of Trade can state the reason for the circulation confidentially of information supplied by British consuls regarding open tenders for over-sea countries, seeing that the practice of other countries is to treat such information as not confidential?
Mr. BUXTONI cannot speak as to the practice of other countries, but I have no doubt that the advice given to the Board of Trade by their Advisory Committee on Commercial Intelligence is perfectly sound, namely, to secure so far as practicable that the earliest information as to prospective openings for British trade and enterprise shall reach British firms interested without simultaneously informing all their foreign competitors.
§ Mr. GOLDMANasked whether the President of the Board of Trade is aware that among the confidential information recently circulated to traders by the Board of Trade was a statement that tenders had been locally called for in South Africa for certain fencing material, and that full information relating to the same could be obtained from the High Commissioner; and that the same confidential document stated that Sir Richard Solomon had not yet received information on the subject; and whether he can take steps to ensure that in future the same document shall not contain statements contradictory of one another?
Mr. BUXTONI am having the exact terms of the circular printed with the 407 Votes, so that hon. Members can judge for themselves whether the allegation in the question is well founded or not.
§ Mr. GOLDMANasked whether cases have been frequently brought to the right hon. Gentleman's attention where information regarding contracts in an oversea market have been circulated to British manufacturers too late to be of any service; and whether he is aware that, in one of its confidential documents, dated 17th January, a trade commissioner in Canada intimates that tenders for bitumen will be called for, returnable in Canada, on 14th February; that another of its documents, issued on 14th January, stated that tenders for certain goods would be received in Melbourne up to 28th February; that another, dated 13th January, declared that tenders for a steamer would be received at Quebec up to 15th February; and whether he can state if it would have been possible to have procured and circulated the information earlier so as to have been available to British manufacturers wishing to tender?
Mr. BUXTONMy attention has been directed to the cases referred to. One of the difficulties experienced by Trade Commissioners and Correspondents in the Dominions is that tenders are frequently called for at short notice. In cases of this sort the only course open to the Board of Trade is to circulate the information directly it is received in order to enable firms who have agents on the spot to instruct them by telegraph. Efforts are being made by His Majesty's Trade Commissioners, I am glad to say with some success, to induce public authorities in the Dominions to give longer notice in cases of calls for tenders.