§ 7. Captain STRICKLANDasked the Secretary of State for India whether any motor cars or lorries of foreign manufacture were purchased for Government use in India during the years 1931 and 1932; if so, how many and under what circumstances?
§ Sir S. HOAREDuring 1931 an order was placed in India for 81 Chevrolet chassis for Army use. The bodies of these vehicles were built at Bombay under a separate contract. At the same time an order was placed for about 230 British chassis of the same capacity. No other purchase of foreign vehicles for the Army in India was made in that year, and none has been made since. I cannot say for certain whether any foreign vehicles were bought for the use of other Departments of the Government of India, but I understand that the total number of vehicles 1412 purchased by other Departments is quite small in comparison with that of Army vehicles.
§ Captain STRICKLANDCan my right hon. Friend take steps to ascertain whether any foreign motor cars and chassis have been purchased by his Department?
§ Sir S. HOAREI can obtain that information if my hon. and gallant Friend wishes for it, but I do not think it would be of much use to him. The main purchasing department is the Army Department, and out of 4,000 Army vehicles, only this small number of 100 were foreign made, and those foreign-made vehicles were made in Bombay.