§ 89. Mr. ROSEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether the Metropolitan Wagon Company manufactured 80 per cent. of the tanks required during the War; whether he can state the terms of the contract; and whether, in view of the profits made by this company during the War, he is satisfied that no more than a fair price was paid?
The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of MUNITIONS (Mr. Hope)The company in question delivered roughly 71 per cent. of the total number of tanks manufactured during the War, but a considerable proportion of the component parts were supplied free to the company by the Ministry of Munitions. Six contracts were placed with the company at prices additional to the value of free issues, varying from £3,820 per tank in the first instance to £2,850 in the last, when fuller experience of production had been acquired by the manufacturers. It is not possible to say what was the profit made by the company on these transactions.