§ 49. Mr. Sextonasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence the value of orders in the rearmament scheme placed in South-West Durham Special Area for the years 1936 and 1937, respectively?
50. Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence the value of the orders placed in county Durham by the Defence Department in 1935, 1936, and up to the most recent date in 1937?
§ The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas Inskip)I regret that it is not possible without an undue amount of labour to ascertain the value of orders placed under the rearmament scheme in any county or any Special Area.
§ Mr. SextonIs it a fact that the Special Area of South-West Durham is so far beyond the pale that we can get no information about it?
§ Sir T. InskipNo, Sir. The difficulty is, as I have stated in the House, that it would require a detailed examination of every contract with a view to seeing where the contracts have been performed, and that would require an undue amount of labour, which I hope the hon. Member will not press me to undertake.
§ Mr. DaltonWould it surprise the right hon. Gentleman if I were to tell him that the answer to Question No. 49 is, "Nothing whatever"?
§ Sir T. InskipThe hon. Gentleman must not draw any such unfounded inferences.
§ Mr. H. G. WilliamsMay I ask to what extent contracts are placed in the constituencies of those who always vote against the Estimates?