§ 12. Mr. RAMSDENasked the Secretary of State for War the value of any foreign products or manufactures purchased 191 for or on behalf of his Department during the last financial year; and what percentage this bears to the total purchases?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Captain Douglas King)The value of foreign products or manufactures purchased at headquarters during the last financial year was £235,594 or 3.68 per cent. of the total purchases. Included in this figure are foodstuffs to the value of £126,245 and copper and timber to the value of £93,159, representing 1.97 per cent. and 1.45 per cent. of the total purchases respectively, leaving the value of manufactured goods at .26 per cent. The figure does not, however, include petrol and oils which are to a great extent refined in this country or coal and coke purchased from abroad on account of the coal stoppage.
Commander WILLIAMSWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman go into the matter and see if he could not get more products from the British Empire?