§ Sir F. SYKESasked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, the equipment of foreign origin or manufacture, with their quantities and values, under orders outstanding on 1st November, 1924, and under orders placed subsequently for the Office of Works: and if he will state in respect of each of such orders the circumstances which necessitated a foreign source of supply?
1840W
Mr. LOCKER-LAMPSONThe following statement is a summary of equipment of foreign origin or manufacture purchased by the Office of Works since 1st November, 1924, including orders outstanding on that date:
£ s. d. 1. Tools, and miscellaneous small items 1,151 5 7 2. Carpets, rugs, etc 1,533 19 9 3. Material or training factories 1,146 3 0 4. Glassware 515 12 0 5. Engineering equipment 1,470 0 0 6. Miscellaneous 583 5 4 6,400 5 8 These purchases, which represent a very inconsiderable proportion of the total purchases of the Department, have been made generally in cases where satisfactory articles of English manufacture could not be obtained. In a small number of cases the difference in cost has been so considerable as to be decisive. Effective preference is given to British products, and all cases of purchase of foreign goods are subject to special review. The above statement does not include purchases made by contractors, in formation as to which cannot be obtained, but British materials are specified unless in exceptional circumstances. Certain materials, such as timber and asphalte, are, of course, normally imported.