§ Mr. J. Griffithsasked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence what is the total value of the contracts in connection with the rearmament programme placed with firms operating within the Special Areas, and firms operating outside the Special Areas, respectively?
§ Sir T. InskipThe total value of Government orders by or on behalf of the Defence Departments placed direct with firms located or operating in the Special Areas during the period 1st April, 1936, to 30th September, 1938, is estimated at about £112,000,000. The corresponding figure for orders placed during the same period with firms outside these areas is about £405,000,000. It is impracticable without excessive labour to disentangle the part of the above orders which are in connection with the rearmament programme, but it may safely be assumed that this is the case for the bulk of them. It should be added that the above figures take no account of sub-contracting.