§ 66. Lieut.-Colonel HENEAGEasked the Secretary of State for Air 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 SECRETARY of STATE for AIR (Sir Samuel Hoare)The Air Ministry itself places no contracts for bread and flour, practically all the supplies required by the Air Force being drawn under Army contracts, and the reply given yesterday to the similar question addressed by my hon. and gallant Friend to the Secretary of State for War will cover, therefore, this present question.
§ Mr. BLUNDELLAre biscuits supplied to the Air Force?
§ Mr. MACQUISTENIf any such clause is inserted, will the right hon. Gentleman see that a similar clause is inserted protecting Scotch barley?
§ 67. Mr. HARRISONasked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give the approximate quantities of imported meat and home-fed meat consumed by the Air Force in this country for the year 1925?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe approximate total consumption was 2,110 tons, all being imported meat drawn under Army contracts.
§ Mr. HARRISONIn making these contracts has the right hon. Gentleman a list before him of home price quotations?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe contracts are all made through the Army Department, and questions on that subject ought to be addressed to the Secretary of State for War.
§ Sir H. CROFTIn view of the enthusiasm of all sections of the House for the policy of buying British goods, will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to the War Office in order that the flow of wisdom may be purified at the fountain head?
§ Sir S. HOAREThis Department does everything in its power to secure the largest possible purchase of British and Imperial goods.
§ 69. Mr. RAMSDENasked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give the percentage value of all the foodstuffs and also of all other stores and materials purchased by his Department during the past financial year, and which were of foreign origin?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe Air Ministry makes no contracts for foodstuffs, practically all supplies being obtained under Army contracts. As regards other stores and materials, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Hallam (Sir F. Sykes) on 7th December last, when I gave particulars of the value of foreign equipment outstanding on 1st November, 1924, and stated that the policy of the Air Ministry was to rely on British sources of supply. To supplement that answer would involve considerable additional labour, which would hardly be justified. I can assure my hon. Friend that the volume of foreign purchases is almost negligible.
§ Sir F. WISEIs this not a matter for a Minister of Defence?
§ Sir S. HOAREIt is obviously not a question which should be addressed to my Department.
§ Colonel WOODCOCKDoes it not seem that the Air Force is drifting back to the Army?