§ 62. Lieut.-Colonel HILDERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if his Department is giving preference to the products of the Empire in placing orders for Navy supplies; and has his attention been called to the statements made in Australia and New Zealand that orders for Navy meat are going to foreign rather than to British sources?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the ADMIRALTY (Mr. Amery)The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative. The Admiralty practice is to give a preference to products of the Empire even when such action involves payment of a somewhat higher price. Certain supplies of frozen beef from South America have been obtained by the Admiralty from shipments imported by the Board of Trade, but arrangements are now in progress with a view to substituting Empire-grown supplies for issue to the Navy. As regards frozen mutton, all Admiralty supplies are stipulated to be Australian or New Zealand meat.