§ 38. Mr. R. YOUNGasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what relationship has Messrs. Picket and Sons to the British Government as contractors or otherwise; whether the shell breaking-down plant and the dump at Meninghan, North France, is British property: whether any other British dumps in France are managed by this firm, or whether British dumps have been sold to the firm; and, if so, what was the reserve price and what was the price obtained?
Mr. HILTON YOUNGIt could not be stated without extensive inquiry through Departments generally what contracts Messrs. Picket hold with His Majesty's Government other than contracts for the purchase of dumps in France, but I presume it is to the latter that the hon. Member refers. Both breaking-down plant and dump at Meninghan were British property, but have now been sold to Messrs. Picket. No dumps are managed by this firm, but five dumps in all have been sold to them. It is not the practice of the Disposal Board to divulge the terms upon which individual sales were effected, and I am not prepared to depart from that course in this case. The purchase was made in competition with others, and the price obtained was the highest offer.