§ 62. Mr. NAYLORasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what precautions are taken, and the nature of the supervision exercised, to secure that printing contracts placed by His Majesty's Stationery Office for execution in London are completely executed in the metropolis; whether cases have ever occurred in which contracting firms with works in both London and the provinces have broken the terms of the contract in this respect; and whether he is satisfied that the present method of Stationery Office supervision of work produced under the terms of such contracts is effective for the purpose?
§ Mr. CHURCHILLIt is provided in the conditions of printing contracts placed by His Majesty's Stationery Office for execution in London that the contractor shall produce the work within suitable premises (the exact address of which must be given in the tender) in London, and that he shall permit the inspection of these premises by the Controller of the Stationery Office or any officer authorised by him at all reasonable times. Two cases have occurred in the last 10 years in which contracting firms with works both in London and in the provinces have broken the terms of the contract in this respect in regard to certain isolated jobs in special circumstances as to which satisfactory explanations were given. The explanations were accepted, but a warning was given that prior permission must be obtained for the transference to provincial premises 773 of any work covered by the contract. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.