§ Mr. HANNONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give any information as to what proposals have been made to His Majesty's Government by the Government of Latvia on the subject of a contract for the construction of a hydro-electric station on the Dvina, above Riga; if this project has been brought to the notice of firms in this country with the object of securing the contract for Great Britain; and if any steps can now be taken to provide that some portion of the necessary plant shall be purchased in this country?
§ Sir J. SIMONThe answer to the first part of the question is that the Latvian Government brought this project to the notice of His Majesty's Government on 21st November, 1929, and requested that the attention of British firms should be drawn to it. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the third part of the question, I understand from statements in the Press that there is nothing in the main contract to limit the freedom of the Latvian Government in placing supplementary orders where they like. My hon. Friend may rest assured that if a real prospect of remunerative business arises it will be brought to the notice of British manufacturers through the usual channel.