§ Mr. Manderasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the value of Japanese goods purchased by each of the following Departments in each of the last three years: Board of Trade, Office of Works, Admiralty, Air Ministry, War Office, Foreign Office, Home Office, Colonial Office, and Board of Education; and whether he will take steps to avoid the purchase of such goods during the present crisis in the Far East?
§ Lieut.-Colonel ColvilleThe approximate value of Japanese goods, purchased in the last three years by or on behalf of the Government Departments referred to, is as follows:
— 1935. 1936. 1937. Admiralty £1,000 nil nil War Office nil nil £3,000 Air Ministry £12,700 £8,200 £2,000 Office of Works £250 £250 £250 Other Departments nil nil nil In regard to the second part of the question, it is already the policy of His Majesty's Government not to buy goods from foreign countries if comparable supplies are available within the Empire, and a price preference is given to Empire products for this purpose.