§ Viscount WOLMERasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of socks purchased by the Admiralty during the year 1921 from the Disposal Board and the number purchased from private firms; and whether there is any reason to believe that any of the socks purchased from private firms had been obtained by them from the Disposal Board, and, if so, how many?
§ Commander EYRES-MONSELLThe number of socks purchased from the Disposals Board during 1921 was 126,000 pairs, and from private firms 304,000 pairs. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative. The further details are as follow:—
The 126,000 pairs taken from the Disposals Board wore in part satisfaction of 200,000 pairs of thick socks required, and was the total quantity the Board could supply in the sizes required. The, balance of 74,000 pairs was purchased to Admiralty pattern from hosiery manufacturers. 230,000 pairs of navy thin socks were purchased from hosiery manufacturers, the Disposal Board having no stocks of thin socks. The socks purchased from hosiery manufacturers were specially made against Admiralty orders in the firms' own works, and specially dyed at the works of the dyers named on the manufacturers' tenders.