104. Mr. McKieasked the Under-secretary of State for Air if he will state whether, in inviting tenders for the salvage and maintenance of flying boat bases in Area 6, Scotland, Stranraer firms were given the fullest opportunity of making offers.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Air (Mr. Strachey)In order to meet our present commitments as efficiently and economically as possible, the base for Royal Air Force moorings and marine salvage work on this part of the West Coast of Scotland has recently been moved from Stranraer. A new contract was let after competitive tender, but the only firm in Stranraer known to the Department to be interested in this class of work and who held the previous contract was not invited to tender for reasons of which they are aware.
Mr. McKieIs my hon. Friend aware that his statement is somewhat misleading and that there is a general feeling in the Stranraer district that these firms have not been given a fair chance of tendering, and, as this was a most important centre during the war years and suffered very much from the general dislocation of life through the exigencies of war, will he give this matter serious reconsideration?
§ Mr. StracheyAs I said in ray reply, the firm in Stranraer, to which the hon. 1572 Member refers, was not invited to tender for reasons of which we informed the firm, and which I should be reluctant to repeat in the House, but the other firms were asked to tender and the tender was decided on a competitive basis. We must really be allowed to give our tenders to what we think are the best contractors.