§ Lord CHARLES BERESFORDasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state why it is contrary to public interest to state the price of guns, gun-mountings, and ammunition in detail, in precisely the same way as the price of ships, hull, machinery, equipment, etc., is stated in the Navy Estimates; what is the average price of armour per ton paid by the Admiralty during the last ten years, stating the price in each particular year; and what reason is there why prices received by the Admiralty from contractors for their several requirements should not be published regularly in the same way as contract tenders are published by the municipal authorities of the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. McKENNAI would refer the Noble Lord to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary of the Admiralty on 6th April, in the course of the Debate on Navy Vote 12 (Official Report, pages 2,530, and following). The Committee, to which my hon. Friend referred, have not yet finished their inquiry