§ 52. Mr. POTTSasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he has considered the letter of the Barnsley and District Chamber of Commerce intimating that works, foundries, etc., already situated within the county borough desire an opportunity to contract for Air Ministry, Admiralty and War Office equipment, clothing, shells, gas masks, aeroplane parts, etc., and that Barnsley has the highest unemployment in the West Riding in proportion to population; and will he take into immediate consideration Barnsley's claim to a proportional share of existing or future Government contracts?
§ Sir T. INSKIPYes, Sir. The method approved for carrying out the defence programme is that of contracts between the Service Departments and individual firms judged suitable for supplying the various classes of stores, so 400 far as these are required within the limits of the programme. Firms in Barnsley desiring an opportunity of contracting for Defence Services' requirements should therefore communicate with the Directors of Contracts of the Service Departments, and should state the class of material they are in a position to supply.