§ 15. Mr. C. WHITEasked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that an order was recently placed with a Warrington firm for 1,000 tons of barbed wire for Mesopotamia at £60 a ton; whether, if these are not the exact amounts and price, he will state the actual amount ordered and the exact price paid; whether the order has been executed; and whether, as Mesopotamia is to become an Arab state, it is necessary for the Government to place such a large order for war material with the firm in question?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONNo order corresponding to the particulars given in the question has been recently placed with a Warrington firm, but about the latter half of September, orders, which are now in course of completion, were given for some 2,600 tons of barbed wire at an average price of about £36 per ton. As stated in the reply to similar questions 1095 on the 15th inst., there are objections on grounds of public policy to stating the actual prices quoted to the War Office by manufacturers. As regards the last part of the hon. Member's question, I would point out that barbed wire is used in other localities besides Mesopotamia, and is also expended in the normal peace training of the troops at home and abroad.
Captain TERRELLMay I ask why the Secretary of State for War should order new barbed wire, when the Disposal Board has a large amount of barbed wire for sale to-day?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONThe hon. and gallant Member must, I think, be misinformed, because inquiries were made of the Disposal Board, and they had no galvanised wire to dispose of.
Captain TERRELLAm I to take it from that that the Disposal Board have no barbed wire for sale to-day?
§ Mr. A. WILLIAMSONI cannot answer that as regards the Continent, but I believe in this country they have not—at any rate, no adequate amount.
§ Mr. C. WHITEWill the details of this particular order be placed on the Army Supplementary Estimates?
§ Sir A. WILLIAMSONNo; details are not given. It appears under a heading.