§ 73. Major Lyonsasked the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Supply whether, and on what basis, motor-vehicles are being acquired for State service by his Department; and what depreciation per annum-percentage is in operation?
§ The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (Mr. Harold Macmillan)New motor vehicles are acquired by the Ministry of Supply on behalf of all Government Departments from contractors on the basis of fixed price agreements based on known costs. The allocation of orders is made against production capacity. The question of the rate of depreciation is one for the user Department to which the vehicle is handed over. No second-hand motor vehicles have been acquired since last April.
§ Major LyonsAre we to take it from that answer that there has been no acquisition of vehicles by the Department on a basis of depreciation per-annum percentage since then?
§ Mr. MacmillanNo, Sir. We are at present purchasing new vehicles, but we have not bought any old vehicles since April.