§ Mr. D. G. SOMERVILLEasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether his Department refuses to advise 2266W contractors of the result of tenders submitted; and whether, seeing that it is in the interests of the public that the information, so far as it affects the amounts of the tenders and not the names of the tenderers, should be made public, and that, by this practice of publicity, firms would be able to judge as to how their prices compared, he will consider a change of policy in this respect?
§ Mr. AMMONFirms tendering are always informed whether their tenders are accepted or refused. As regards publication of quotations and contract prices, long experience has shown that it is in the interests of the public to regard tender prices as confidential, and we propose to adhere to this practice.