HC Deb 03 April 1919 vol 114 cc1387-8
86. Mr. RAPER

asked the Under-Secretary of State to the Air Ministry why the system which was adopted of allowing contractors for the construction of aerodromes a certain profit on materials supplied to them by the Government was made retrospective?

Mr. PRATT

Under the original War Office contracts for aerodrome construction the contractors did not receive commission on materials supplied by the Government, but at that time the actual control of materials by Government was small. When the Air Ministry took over the con- tracts the situation in regard to Government control of materials had entirely changed. In order to expedite progress on the aerodromes modifications in the contracts were made, and it was decided that it would be fair as part of these arrangements to allow a commission on all materials actually handled by the contractors as from the date of the original contract.

Mr. RAPER

Is it not the fact that this is being made retrospective and applied to contracts already completed?

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