§ 31. Mr. Craven-Ellisasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether, in connection with his announced production of kitchen units, equal facilities in regard to price and the release of raw materials will be available to private industry which may be producing superior designs to meet the same purpose.
§ Mr. HicksSpecifications are being prepared for the information of local authorities and I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library. With regard to estimates of costs, as there are a considerable number of figures involved I am circulating a statement with the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. Craven-EllisWill my hon. Friend also see that private enterprise receives these details as well as this House?
§ Following is the statement:
§ who is acting as agent for my noble Friend in regard to the supply of the standardised kitchen unit, to draw on all suitable industrial resources for their production, for which the necessary materials wil be made available.
§ Mr. ShinwellHas my hon. Friend abandoned the policy of centralisation of purchase of these materials; and can he give any estimate, now or in the OFFICIAL REPORT, of what is the difference in cost between purchasing centrally, and allowing purchasing to be made piecemeal?
§ Mr. HicksAs my hon. Friend is aware from the reply to previous Questions, it is not considered desirable or good business to publish our estimates of the cost now, and, as I said in the Debate in August, we are still negotiating with the firms who manufactured them, with a view to reducing the price. Consequently, it is not possible for me to give a fixed price now, either of central purchase or otherwise.