asked the Undersecretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that in an invitation extended by the Office of Works to leather dealers to tender estimates for the supply of morocco for re-upholstering the benches of the House of Lords it is stipulated that the animals from whose skins such morocco is made must be of European origin, and that the effect of such stipulation is to prevent skins produced in the British Empire being the subject of such estimates; and whether he will withdraw such stipulation and substitute for it one requiring that such leather must be Empire produced?

No invitations to tender for morocco for the benches of the House of Lords have yet been issued, and no stipulation is proposed which would prevent tenderers from submitting skins produced in the British Empire.

Will there not be a stipulation that these skins shall be produced in the British Empire?

I think one must have some regard to what quantity and standard can be produced.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that 90 per cent. of the goatskins coming into this country come from the British Empire or India, and does he not think that from that large percentage sufficiently good skins can be got for this purpose?

I very much hope that we shall be able to use skins from the British Empire.

Will not the hon. Gentleman insist upon British skins being used for this purpose?

Provided he is satisfied that the skins are of equal quality, will the hon. Gentleman make a stipulation that they shall be produced within the British Empire?

If the skins are of good quality, certainly British Empire skins will be used.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the very word "Morocco" suggests that this article cannot be produced in the British Empire?

Is the hon. Gentleman quite satisfied that all the skins of the Noble Lords are British?