§ Mr. LUNNasked the President of the Board of Trade whether Messrs. Vickers, Limited, have recently acquired an interest in the Swiss electrical engineering 947W firm of Brown, Boveri, and Company; whether, under the terms of the arrangement, Brown, Boveri, and Company undertake to do no business within the British Empire; whether Brown, Boveri, and Company recently tendered for an electrical contract with the Edinburgh Corporation at a figure £70,000 below that of any of the competing British companies; and whether he proposes to take any action to prevent such agreements in restraint of competitive trade?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI understand that the fact is as stated in the first part of the question, but I have no information as to the details of the arrangement. I am aware that Messrs. Brown, Boveri, and Company's recent tender for an electrical contract placed by the Edinburgh Corporation was much below the tenders of British concerns, but I understand that the difference was not so great as stated in the question I am not clear that the last part of the question arises in this case.