§ Mr. A. T. DAVIESasked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that tenders for the supply of peas for the Navy were recently invited by the Admiralty; that samples of the finest hand-picked Lincolnshire peas, with quotations, were received from Messrs. A. W. Foster and Company, Limited; that a greatly inferior pea, to be supplied from Japan at a lower price, was selected by the Directors of Navy Contracts Department because of the lower price; whether quotations for a grade of English-grown peas similar to the Japanese grade were invited; whether he is aware that grades of English-grown peas similar to the Japanese could have been supplied and can still be supplied at a price similar to the price paid for the Japanese peas; why no effort was made, before placing the contract in Japan, to obtain quotations for similar grade English-grown peas; whether he is aware that, as a result of the action of the Admiralty, many men employed in pea-picking have been thrown out of work 75W and are now receiving unemployment pay; and whether, under the circumstances as stated, some consideration can be given to the English firm above named?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELL:Careful consideration was given to the competitive tenders and samples recently received from Lincolnshire growers of peas and importers of Japanese peas. Messrs. Foster and Company's price was the highest received, and was more than half as high again as the price at which suitable imported peas were purchased. English peas of a quality similar to Japanese could not have been bought except at a price nearly 50 per cent. higher. As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, the Admiralty give a very substantial preference to home products, but in the present ease the difference in price of the lowest English tender, which was not that of Messrs. Foster, was so great as to render this inoperative. The Admiralty cannot admit that the Japanese pea was "greatly inferior" to the pea offered by Messrs. Foster. The Admiralty are not aware that, owing to their action, the amount of unemployment has been necessarily increased. As a matter of fact, Messrs. Foster have stated that prices have risen since they tendered, and it is assumed that unless they stand out for prohibitive prices they will have no difficulty in disposing of their peas and thereby employing their workpeople.