Supply(Organisation) (Hansard, 10 December 1958)

§ 35. Mr. Dodds
asked the Secretary State for War what machinery exists in his Department for supervising the placing of large orders for supplies; why, after receiving the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General, he did not take action to deal with the situation but preferred to await the report of the Committee of Public Accounts; and what administrative action he proposes to avoid such financial waste in future.

§ Mr. Soames
In answer to the first part of the Question I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 16th July. Action consequent upon the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General was begun at once; there was no question of waiting upon the Public Accounts Committee. Changes have been made in training, financial control and ordering procedure. That is part of a continuing process to keep the Army's organisation for supply as efficient as we can make it.

§ Mr. Dodds
Did not the right hon. Gentleman tell the Leader of the Liberal Party that he was waiting for the Report of the Committee on Public Accounts? Has he no check on his own Department, when an obvious mistake has been made, to enable him to take action either to clear the people concerned or to sack them?

§ Mr. Soames
Action has been taken on the controlling of procedure. As to what happened before the Public Accounts Committee Report was published, what I told the hon. Member was that I could not refer to this until the Public Accounts Committee had reported.

§ Mr. Strachey
Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that these two Reports from the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee substantiate in essence the charges which my hon. Friend has made on these matters over many months now and that a more satisfactory explanation should be given?

§ Mr. Soames
There is no question about this. About 157,000 pairs of boots too many were bought, and that was pointed out by the Comptroller and Auditor General and the Public Accounts Committee.

§ Mr. Paget
Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that if he proposes to put a million surplus boots on the market at knockdown prices it will cause considerable alarm in Northamptonshire?

§ Mr. Soames
That is a matter for the Minister of Supply.

§ Mr. Dodds
On a point of order. In view of the thoroughly unsatisfactory Answer, I give notice that I will try to raise the matter on the Adjournment before Christmas.