§ 81. Mr. RADFORDasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that more than half of the ordinary capital of the British-American Tobacco Company, Limited, from which the War Office has made large purchases, is held abroad; that such company has a purely foreign trade and the revenues of this country derive no benefit from its products, and that the goods put up and exported by such company are not in fact the products of the firms whose labels and trade marks are used on such goods; and whether the War Office will take steps to place its orders with British firms carried on with British capital who sell goods of their own manufacture under their own name and trade marks?
Mr. BAKERI am aware that the business of the British-American Tobacco Company in this country is confined to the export trade. Otherwise I have no knowledge of the statements in the first part of the question, but as no duty is payable on tobacco for the Expeditionary Force the national revenue is not affected. With regard to the last part of the question, tenders are invited from a number of British firms in addition to those included in the British-American Company. All orders placed by the War Office for tobacco and cigarettes have been for manufacture in the United Kingdom.