§ Mr. LYLEasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Crown agents are still endeavouring to ensure that, so far as possible, all requirements of the Crown Colonies are placed with manufacturers in this country; and whether he will state the nature of all contracts over £5,000 in amount which, within the last year, have not been placed in this country, assigning in each case the reason for external preference and the name of the colony concerned?
Mr. WOODThe practice of the Crown Agents for the Colonies in giving preference to British firms remains as stated in the first part of the question. During the last year only two small contracts for manufactured goods were placed outside the United Kingdom, namely: Dump cars for the Harbour Works, Gold Coast, value £11,227, ordered from a Canadian firm by the desire of the Consulting Engineers for the works. Neosalvarsan for Ceylon, value £7,687, ordered from Germany at the express request of the Ceylon Government.