HC Deb 22 January 1913 vol 47 cc391-2
10. Mr. TOUCHE

asked the Secretary of State for War if the specifications for the electric installations at Tidworth and Bulford camps were prepared by a private firm; and, if so, will he mention the name of the firm and say why they were not prepared by the War Office electrical department?

The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Harold Baker)

The specifications in question were prepared by Messrs. Kennedy and Jenkins in conjunction with the War Office electrical staff. This staff, which is mainly employed on electric lighting for defence purposes, is not large enough completely to supervise extensive new installations such as the Tidworth and Bulford scheme.

Mr. TOUCHE

Will the specifications for the further extensions be prepared in the same way or will they be prepared exclusively by War Office clerks?

Mr. BAKER

I must ask for notice of that question.

11. Mr. TOUCHE

asked at what place the Armorduct cable, selected for the Army camps at Tidworth and Bulford, will be inspected by representatives of the War Office?

Mr. BAKER

The firm of Kennedy and Jenkins, who are dealing with the installations in question, will inspect the cable at the works of Messrs. Lynen and Co., Eschweiler, near Aix-la-Chapelle.

12. Mr. TOUCHE

asked the Secretary for War if his attention has been called to an advertisement circulated by the Armorduct Manufacturing Company, and setting forth that the Armorduct cable has been selected by the contractors to the War Office for the Army camps at Tidworth and Bulford, requiring approximately 300 miles; is this cable manufactured by Lynen and Company, Eschweiler, Germany; will he say who are the contractors who are providing the cable; and were all the competing contractors given an opportunity of quoting for German cable, or were they, or any of them, asked to tender for best quality English cable?

Mr. BAKER

Nothing is known at the War Office of the advertisement mentioned. The cable is manufactured by the company referred to. The contractors are Messrs. G. E. Taylor and Co. All competing contractors were given the same opportunity to quote for any cable complying with the British Standards Committee Report No. 7 of 1910.

Mr. TOUCHE

Has the attention of the right hon. Gentleman been drawn to an advertisement in the papers to this effect:— Is Armorduct cable good enough for you? It is good enough for His Majesty's War Office. Does the right hon. Gentleman consider it desirable that the War Office should thus be used for the purposes of advertising the goods of foreign competitors?

Mr. BAKER

I have heard nothing of the advertisement. But I can assure the hon. Member the cable is fully up to our requirements.