§ Mr. G. LOCKER-LAMPSONasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether Government stocks have been offered for sale in the open market, and whether the fullest possible publicity is given when such merchandise is to be disposed of; in particular, whether the goods advertised in the Press on Monday, 2nd June, 1924, comprising handkerchiefs, waterproof capes, driving gloves, scarfs, and underwear, were offered for public tender; and whether such offer received reasonable publicity?
§ Mr. LAWSONI am unable to trace the advertisement to which the hon. Member refers, but it probably relates to the sale last May of Government stocks of officers' uniform clothing and underwear by private treaty. In a previous answer on the 27th May to the hon. Member for Lowestoft (Mr. Rentoul) I explained the circumstances in which this transaction was carried out. 1655W Although the Department finally decided not to sell the surplus clothing in question by competitive tender, the widest publicity was secured by the insertion of public advertisements in the leading newspapers throughout the country, and I can assure the hon. Member that it is the invariable practice of the Department, before the disposal of such surplus stocks, to bring them to the notice of persons or firms likely to be interested.