§ 33. Mr. HIGHAMasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Munitions whether the Government had at the large factory at Newport a quantity of wood which is now being cut up for chocolate boxes; whether this is being sold at the price of £2 6s. 2d. per thousand sets for all sizes up to 4-lb. boxes, whether Messrs. Lovells, of Newport, bought up £10,000 worth; and if he will state why timber is being sold at such a price and why methods are not adopted for securing a fair market value for these war assets?
§ Mr. KELLAWAYThe Disposal Board has a quantity of waste timber which is being converted into caseboards so as to secure the fullest market value. Case-boards of very small dimensions have been sold to Messrs. Lovells for £2 8s. 6d. per thousand sets, but for average sizes the price is at the rate of £4 7s. 5d. per thousand. The price obtained for the 20 largest sets was £6 15s. per thousand. The total value of the contract is £6,256. 5s. The price obtained shows a satisfactory profit after paying all charges