§ Sir A. SHIRLEY BENNasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information as to the circumstances in which the contract for the Arapuni power scheme was placed and as to the circumstances in which a large proportion of the contract was placed in a foreign country?
§ Mr. LUNNI have been asked to reply to this question. Up to the present I have received only telegraphic reports from New Zealand as to the award of this contract, but I am expecting a full 2961W statement by mail from His Majesty's Trade Commissioner in Wellington. I understand that the New Zealand Government is awarding the contract to a British engineering company, whose tender, though above those of foreign competitors, was much below those of other British firms. I understand that the tender of this company involves the supply of some foreign material, but I have reason to believe that the proportion of foreign goods to be used has been substantially reduced at the instance of the New Zealand Government. I would also refer the hon. Member to the answer which the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to a question on this subject addressed by the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer).