§ 21. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for War if, in placing contracts for supplying bread and flour, he will insert a clause that will ensure a proportion of English-grown wheat being used?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Captain Douglas King)I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave to a similar question on the 11th ultimo, and to which I have nothing to add.
§ 22. Mr. HARRISONasked the Secretary of State for War the approximate quantities of imported beef and home-fed beef consumed by the troops stationed in this country for the year 1925?
§ Captain KINGThe approximate quantity of imported beef consumed by the troops in this country during the year 1925 was 10,000 tons (exclusive of some 400 tons of preserved meat). The amount of home-fed beef was negligible.
§ Mr. HARRISWhat is Imperial beef?
§ Mr. HARRISONWhy is home-fed beef negligible?
§ Captain KINGI have already, on various occasions, explained that the price of home-fed beef is so great that we cannot afford it.
§ Mr. HARRISONIs it not a fact that home-fed beef suitable for troops is not more than and. or 2d. a lb. more?
§ Captain KINGWe have obtained tenders for home-fed beef right up to the present year, and they have always been considered.
§ 27. Mr. RAMSDENasked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the percentage (value) of all foodstuffs, and of all other materials and stores purchased by his Department during the last financial year, which were of foreign origin?
§ Captain KINGExpressed as a percentage of the total value of War Office 2081 headquarter purchases during 1924–25, the values of purchases of articles of foreign origin are: foodstuffs 1.29 per cent.; all other materials and stores 2.42 per cent., 92 per cent. of which related to copper, timber and lead. If petrol and oils, which are to a great extent refined in this country although the crude oil is almost entirely produced in foreign countries, are regarded as of foreign origin, the percentage of 2.42 would be increased to 3.68 per cent.
§ 28. Mr. LAMBasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether, in connection with the "Buy British Goods" campaign now in progress, he will reconsider the previous decision of his Department not to give an effective preference to fresh meat of home production in any contracts issued by his Department for the supply of the Army at home stations?
§ Captain KINGI regret that, in view of the very large extra cost involved, it would not be possible to give an effective preference to fresh meat of home production. Practically all the frozen meat bought for the Army at home is of Dominion origin.
§ Mr. LAMBCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman say why the preference that is given to other articles bought for the use of the troops cannot be extended to agriculture?
§ Captain KINGIt certainly is extended to agriculturists. We always give a preference to home and, following that, to Dominion produce.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSCan the hon. and gallant Gentleman tell us of any English produce that is not asked for in this country?
§ Captain KINGI should like notice of that question.