§ 12. Mr. LEONARDasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the present policy of his Department to confine the issue of tender forms containing structural steel requirements to a small selected number of contractors, he will undertake to examine the list of contractors with a view to the inclusion of all firms with a proved competence to perform structural steel engineering?
§ Sir P. SASSOONIt is not the policy of the Air Ministry to restrict tendering for structural steel requirements to a small selected number of firms. Where in individual cases the field of tendering for aerodrome construction work in which steel work is included has been restricted, it will be found that the list of approved sub-contractors for the steel work is ex- 1911 tensive and contains a clear intimation that other firms will be considered if submitted by the contractor for approval.
§ Mr. LEONARDIs it not the case that Scottish firms of 50 years' experience have been excluded from the list of tenderers while other firms have successfully tendered for a number of years, showing that they must have received tender forms?
§ Sir P. SASSOONI am not aware of that fact.
§ Mr. LEONARDI was referring to firms who are on the list and who have received tender forms.
§ Sir P. SASSOONIf there is any particular case which the hon. Member has in mind, and if he will send me the list, I will look into it.