§ Mr. Lipsonasked the Minister of Health, why he is insisting under the group schemes that only one tender, covering the whole work of preparing sites for houses, shall be allowed; and, as this favours the large contractor to the detriment of the smaller one, will be permit contracts, either for the whole or part of the work, to be placed by the authorities concerned.
§ Mr. WillinkThe object of grouping is to produce a contract of sufficient size to allow the application of economical and labour-saving methods. Economy in labour is especially important in present circumstances. This object would be defeated if groups were split up into smaller contracts. The tenders recently obtained by one large group will, I believe, be found to justify the Government's view as to the economy of this method in present circumstances.