§ 20. Mr. Emrys Hughesasked the Minister of Public Building and Works why the lowest tender for the erection of a Customs hut at Mullan, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, was not accepted.
§ The Minister of Public Building and Works (Mr. Charles Pannell)I am not bound to accept the lowest tender; and there are other reasons besides price for accepting a tender.
§ Mr. HughesCan the Minister give us an assurance that one of the reasons why the lowest tender was turned down was not that the contractor happened to be a Roman Catholic? As so many curious things happen in Northern Ireland, will my right hon. Friend assure us that in future contracts there will be no discrimination against Roman Catholic contractors?
§ Mr. PannellI have no reason to assume that there has been, but I have written to my hon. Friend about this and would still be prepared to discuss it with him.