§ 17 Sir J. HARMOOD-BANNERasked the Minister of Munitions (1) whether the Pyrite Sub-committee or any other Department of the Government, before making purchases of pyrites from the Rio Tinto Company, had asked all the known British producers of pyrites to tender for the Government's requirements; (2) whether the Pyrites Sub-committee or the Representative of the Ministry of Munitions on shipping control has ever brought into effect the control of all shipments of pyrites; and, if so, to what extent such control has been notified to all the British importers of pyrites; (3) whether the Government have purchased or taken over the control of the Bio Tinto Company, Limited; and, if so, on what terms; and whether such terms include a guarantee of the Government of the profits which the Rio Tinto Company is now receiving?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of MUNITIONS (Sir Worthington Evans)The Explosive Department of the War Office—as it then was —communicated with the principal English companies supplying pyrites. The Rio Tinto Company and the other large producers submitted to the Explosive Department their pre-war contracts and offered to supply on these terms, and that Department and the Ministry of Munitions (which has since taken over the Explosive Department) have drawn such quantities of pyrites as the Government required from the English companies on the basis of the pre-war sale contracts.
The answer to the first part of Question 18 is in the negative, and therefore the second part of the question does not arise.
36 In reply to Question 19,I may state that the Government have not taken over the control of the Rio Tinto Company nor guaranteed the profits of that company.