§ Sir F. SYKESasked the Secretary of State for Air if he will state the equipment of foreign origin or manufacture, with their quantities and values, under orders outstanding on 1st November, 1924, 47W and under orders placed subsequently for the Air Ministry; and if he will state in respect of each of such orders the circumstances which necessitated a foreign source of supply?
§ Sir S. HOAREThe total value of equipment of foreign manufacture under orders outstanding on the 1st November, 1924, and orders placed subsequently by the Air Ministry is approximately £240,000. By far the largest items in this total are the Irving parachutes and Curtiss engines, purchases which have already been the subject of previous questions, in reply to which I have furnished my hon. and gallant Friend with a full account of the circumstances necessitating these orders being placed abroad. Excluding these two items, the value of equipment ordered abroad is considerably less than 1 per cent. of the value of total orders placed during this period. I may add that it is the general policy of the Air Ministry to rely upon British sources of supply, and that orders have not been and will not be placed abroad unless in wholly exceptional cases.