§ 33. Mr. HANNONasked the Minister of Health if he can give particulars of the expenditure incurred by his Department and by local authorities, respectively, on surgical instruments and appliances during the last financial year, or the latest year for which such information is available; how much of this expenditure is in respect of purchases of foreign instruments; and whether he is prepared to give instructions that British-made instruments are to be purchased whenever they can be obtained in this country at a competitive price and of a comparable quality?
§ Mr. GREENWOODThe expenditure on surgical instruments and appliances by my Department for the last financial year amounted to £337 2s. 4d., of which £62 8s. 6d. was in respect of the purchase of foreign instruments. It is the policy of the Department to purchase British-made instruments whenever they can be obtained in this country at a competitive price and of a comparable quality. I have no information as to the expenditure incurred by local authorities for this purpose, but I have already by circular requested local authorities to make use to the utmost extent practicable of goods and materials of home production.
§ Mr. HANNONWill the right hon. Gentleman say whether the British-made instruments of this character are not just as good as any instruments made in any other part of the world?
§ Mr. GREENWOODI cannot say that without knowledge of the particular instrument that the hon. Member has in mind.