asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the India Office has given a tyre order to German firms, although the quotations of English firms were only slightly higher than the German quotation; and whether, seeing that unemployed workers who are receiving relief of unemployment benefit could be profitably employed producing coal and steel to manufacture these tyres, he will consider the advisability of placing these orders in this country until the exchanges are stabilised?

The hon. Member refers no doubt to an order recently placed by the High Commissioner for India. The purchase of stores for the Indian Government is no longer undertaken by the India Office. Such purchases are made by the High Commissioner, who is now directly responsible to the Government of India. I have, however, ascertained from the High Commissioner that in this particular case the lowest British quotation was very nearly double the amount at which the order was placed for tyres of German manufacture.