§ 68. Mr. BETHELasked the Post master-General whether, in inviting tenders for telephone cords and flexible cables, the forms of tender invite in formation as to the source of origin of the goods and if they are wholly or partially of British manufacture; and, seeing that in one small centre of Lancashire the number of operatives engaged on the production of polished cotton yarn has decreased from 5,000 in 1919 to less than 500 in 1927, if he will consider the desirability of stipulating that materials supplied for use in the Post Office shall be entirely of British manufacture?
§ Sir W. MITCHELL-THOMSONTenderers for telephone cords and flexible cables, like all tenderers for articles supplied to the Post Office, are invited to state the origin of the raw material used, and also the place of manufacture. I can assure my hon. Friend that articles of British manufacture and materials are invariably purchased when their quality is satisfactory and their price not unreasonably greater than corresponding articles of foreign manufacture or material. In the case of 1187 these cords the specification calls for English spun yarn.