Mr. A. T. DAVIESasked the Minister of Health whether the Department of Director of Building Material Supplies entails considerable expense and a large staff; whether it is necessary, as all public bodies, builders, and contractors know where to purchase material quite as well as Government officials; whether the Department is a trading concern, buying goods and selling them for profit under the heading of commission; whether it is proposed in the interests of economy to abolish this Department; and whether the date for its cessation has yet been fixed?
§ Dr. ADDISONI have no doubt that the establishment of this Department by the Ministry of Munitions shortly after the Armistice served a useful purpose in stimulating production and securing a sufficient supply of building materials at reasonable prices. In view, however, of the changed conditions I have decided that no further orders for materials shall be given by the Department unless a clear public necessity dictates a departure from this course, but I am not yet in a position to say when it will be practicable to abolish the Department, as there is a great mass of accounts and other business to be dealt with. I may add that the materials purchased are not sold at a profit, but under the terms of the Estimates approved by Parliament the Department is required to recover the whole cost, including overhead charges.