§ Mr. Boyceasked the Minister of Supply whether, in view of the fact that Government contracts placed on a time and line basis proved wasteful in the last war 61W owing to the contractor standing to benefit in proportion to the public money he spent, he will give an assurance that no Government orders have been placed for the erection of camps, depots, etc., on the basis of actual expenditure plus a percentage of profit thereon?
§ Mr. BurginHis Majesty's Government recognise generally the undesirability of placing building contracts on the prime cost plus percentage basis. Contracts for building camps and depots for the Service Departments are not placed by my Ministry, but there are isolated cases in which the Ministry is arranging the erection of factories, and, where it is necessary to place these on a prime cost basis, the contractors will not be remunerated by a percentage on the actual expenditure.