§ Mr. Dayasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the fighting services, the Post Office, the Office of Works, and the Treasury are large purchasers of many articles in the same markets, he will consider the establishment of a central contracts department to control these services for all Government purchases, in order that this closer co-operation will effect an economy?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleEffective coordination among the Contracting Departments is already secured through the medium of the Contracts Co-ordinating Committee and by frequent consultation between the departmental staffs. As regards centralised purchase, it is already the practice in the case of articles in use by more than one Department to adopt a system of combined purchase where such purchase is likely to lead to economy. It is not considered that the establishment of a central contracts Department is called for.