§ 51. Mr. LEWISasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office upon what date or dates the existing contracts held by the Eastern Counties Electric Carpet Beating Company for remaking bedding at certain stations in the Eastern Command will terminate?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Duff Cooper)These contracts will expire on 31st March, 1934, unless terminated by notice at an earlier date.
§ Mr. LEWISWill my hon. Friend undertake that a serious effort shall be made, when the time comes for these contracts to expire, to find 'a firm that will observe the terms of the King's Roll to do this work?
§ Mr. COOPERThe firm in question is a very small one. It has never been the custom of any Department of the Govern- 812 ment to insist on the observance of the King's Roll Regulation in the case of very small firms employing a small number of hands.
§ Major BEAUMONT THOMASIs it not time the War Office did insist on it?
§ Mr. COOPERNo, I do not think so. I think that in the case of firms employing only three or four hands it would be a monstrous thing to turn off those people and insist on their employing some disabled ex-Service men, to the detriment of people who have been in their employment for many years.
§ Mr. COOPERNo, certainly not.
§ Mr. N. MACLEANIs it not the fact that in some cases the employés of these firms are women and not men?
§ Major THOMASIs it not a fact that in this particular matter it is not the case that only two or three men are employed?
§ Mr. COOPERI believe the firm in question employs under 10 men and a few women.