§ 47. Mr. REMERasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been called to the tenders submitted by the Royal Mint to the Siamese Government in competition with British firms for 30, 000, 000 copper coins; and, as this is contrary to the Regulations which set out that the Royal Mint can only tender for coins for this country and the British Colonies, if he will take steps to see that no further tenders of this character are made?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am not aware of any such Regulations. Several contracts for foreign coinage have been carried out in recent years which, if not undertaken by the Royal Mint, would have gone abroad. The contracts entered into by the Mint frequently contain a provision permitting sub-contracts to private firms in Great Britain, and the tender to which my hon. Friend refers contained such a provision. The contract in fact went to Japan.
§ Mr. REMERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the British Consul-General favoured these tenders in this particular instance, in spite of the fact that they were higher than those of the British manufacturers?
§ Mr. McNEILLNo, Sir, I have no such knowledge.
§ Mr. REMERIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Regulations connected with the Royal Mint distinctly state that they shall only tender for the British Government and Colonial Governments?
§ Mr. McNEILLI am not aware of any such Regulation.
§ Mr. REMERIf I send the right hon. Gentleman a book containing these Regulations will he take the matter into consideration?
§ Mr. McNEILLI shall read with interest anything which the hon. Member sends me.
§ Mr. SEXTONIs it the case that private firms exist for the purpose of manufacturing coins, and is there not a danger of spurious coin being put into circulation in a country?
§ Mr. WALLHEADAnd is it not a fact that the Mint employs British labour in striking these coins?