§ 59. Mr. CHARLES EDWARDSasked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Monmouthshire County Council were purchasing foreign cement for their Newport-Cardiff road improvement at 43s. per ton, whilst the lowest British tender obtainable was 64s. 9d.; that when he objected to the use of foreign cement the result was that British firms then quoted 74s. 9d. per ton, two of these firms having works within 12 miles of the place of delivery; and that Middlesbrough accepted a British tender at 50s. 2d. a ton; and whether, seeing that the Government pays a large proportion of the cost of these and similar road works, he will take steps to standardise the prices of British cement firms?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)I have been asked to reply to this question. I am aware that there have been considerable variations in the prices charged for Portland cement in different localities, especially during the general disturbance of trade caused by the coal stoppage when a surcharge of 10s. per ton was temporarily added in some cases—to cover the extra cost of fuel. I am not, however, in a position to standardise prices.