§ Captain Yorkasked the Minister of Supply whether it is a common practice, when two or more firms are manufacturing under contract the same article of munitions or warlike stores, that different contract prices are agreed by the Ministry with different firms; and what are the reasons for these differences?
§ Sir A. DuncanIt is by no means unusual to have different prices or costs for similar stores made by different firms. As my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate, costs of production vary widely as between firms and districts, and there are many reasons for a spread of contracts.