§ 41 and 42. Mr. Turtonasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air (1) how many local sub-contractors were asked to tender for the electrical wiring work in connection with the erection of the aerodrome at Dishforth; and whether all those on the Air Ministry's list of firms eligible to tender for electrical wiring work were given this opportunity;
(2) what steps he is taking to secure that local contractors and sub-contractors have an opportunity of quoting for work in connection with the building of the new aerodromes?
§ Sir P. SassoonIt is the present practice to let one Air Ministry contract for the whole of the building work at a new aerodrome, leaving the successful firm to enter into the necessary sub-contracts subject to Air Ministry approval. As regards contracts placed directly by the Air Ministry, suitable local contractors are invariably included in the invitations to tender. As regards sub-contracts, the Department's list of firms, including local firms, eligible to carry out the work is circulated for the guidance of the firms invited to tender for the building work as a whole, but the tenderers are not necessarily limited to firms on that list. The normal procedure was followed by the Air Ministry in the case of Dish-forth, but I regret that the details asked for by my hon. Friend as regards that case are not in my possession.
§ Mr. TurtonWill my right hon. Friend reconsider his policy, so as to secure that local contractors and sub-contractors can get greater opportunities to secure contracts than they do at present?
§ Sir P. SassoonThe Air Ministry does whatever it can to make use of local resources in these cases.