§ Sir A. MARKHAMasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Custodis, Limited, have received an order for a factory chimney at Langwith, near Mansfield, for the Munitions Department; and whether, seeing he is aware that this company last year, in writing, deliberately made false statements that there was no German capital embarked in the concern and that the directorate was entirely British, he communicated these facts to the Minister of Munitions with a view to preventing orders being placed with alien-owned firms in preference to British firms?
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Mr. RUNCIMANI am informed by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Munitions that the order for the factory chimney referred to is not being placed with Custodis, Limited. I may, however, inform my hon. Friend that the constitution of the company has changed since the statement to which he refers. The shares and debentures have been transferred out of the names of the persons by whom they were then held, an amount due to Mrs. Custodis on the transfer has been handed over to the Public Trustee, and new directors have been appointed. Having regard to the past record of the company, I have thought it desirable that the business should be kept under supervision, but my present information does not justify my taking action to prevent orders being given to the company.