§ 9. Mr. WATTasked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether his Department is at present getting delivery of tool steel or other such article for making munitions of war from Messrs. J. J. Saville and Company, Limited, of Sheffield; if so, whether he is aware that the managing director of that firm is a naturalised German with pronounced German sympathies, and that the staff of the company embraces several Germans who have never been naturalised; whether his Department purchases this steel from this firm because there are no British firms making such, or whether it is because of a preference for this maker; and whether he will take any action in future?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Forster)An order for tool steel has been placed with this firm by the Superintendent of the Waltham and Enfield Factories, who states that it is better than any other sort of steel for making cutters for turning barrels. 2253 Nothing is known as to the alleged German connections, but if there are Germans on the staff of the company they could not be better employed than in meeting our requirements in this respect.