§ 50. Sir WILLIAM DAVISONasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether His Majesty's Government forbade the Royal Mint to strike Empire Day medals for the British Empire Union for distribution to children on Empire Day solely for financial reasons urged by the Mint; if so, will he inform the House why the British Empire Union, who have employed the Mint to manufacture these medals for the last three years, were not informed of these reasons; and whether there is any change of policy whereby the Royal Mint is now forbidden by the Government to execute orders for private individuals and for foreign governments?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEThe answers to the first and last parts of the question are in the negative. In view of questions which have been raised from time to time in Parliament and elsewhere about these medals, the Government considered that execution of the order might more appropriately be left to a private contractor.
§ Sir W. DAVISONWill the hon. Gentleman kindly answer the question on the Paper, as to why the British Empire 1445 Union, who have given orders for about 75,000 medals in the last three years, at what the Mint said was a satisfactory profit, the union paying for the dies, were not informed that the arrangement was no longer satisfactory?
§ Mr. PETHICK-LAWRENCEI have answered that question. I should have thought that it was clear to Members of the House, and that it would be generally agreed, that it is not desirable that public Departments should be associated with bodies whose record shows strong political leanings.