HC Deb 20 July 1939 vol 350 cc729-30W
Mr. Stokes

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he is aware that contracts for semi-fabricated angle-iron, amounting to 10,000 tons, have been placed by his Department or in connection with contracts for steel shelters ordered by his Department at a price of £22 per ton; that the price, including profit, should not be more than £14 per ton; and what steps he proposes to take to obtain revision of these contracts, and to prevent this waste of money on future contracts?

Sir J. Anderson

No, Sir, I do not recognise either the weight or the price quoted by the hon. Member as having any relation to any steel shelter contract or group of contracts arranged by my Department.

Mr. Stokes

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will state the price at which the most recent contracts for standard unit steel shelters have been placed, in view of the fact that at 25th May 400,000 had been ordered at £7 per shelter and that by 6th July a further 2,000,000 had been ordered at a revised price?

Sir J. Anderson

It was part of the original arrangement made when the first contract was placed that the price to be paid on further contracts would be fixed in the light of a detailed investigation of the cost of manufacture. The results of this investigation are now under consideration, and the price has not yet been finally fixed.