§ 16. Mr. CLARRYasked the President of the Board of Trade when, in view of the urgency of maintaining a key industry and providing work for unemployed, a definite decision may be expected upon the safeguarding of the steel industry?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Flint (Mr. Goodman Roberts), of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Sir CLEMENT KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that last year 2,500,000 tons of steel and iron were imported into this country which could have been made here, and that had that been done 100,000 men would have been employed who are now unemployed?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a different question.
§ 17. Mr. CLARRYasked the President of the Board of Trade the full capacity in tons per annum of British steelworks, together with the quantity now being produced, and the approximate number of men who would find employment 228 directly and indirectly by a revival in the steel production industry to the extent of a million tons per annum?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIt is estimated that the productive capacity of steel plants in Great Britain is about 12,000,000 tons per annum. The quantity of steel produced in October was 647,000 tons. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. Short) on 1st December, of which I am sending him a copy.
§ Sir C. KINLOCH-COOKEIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that 100,000 men would have been employed had it been possible to make this iron and steel in this country?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a matter of argument.
§ 18. Mr. CLARRYasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that foreign steel manufacturers are selling steel imported into this country at a lower price than they are charging consumers in their own country in order to capture our markets; and if he will state what is the approximate difference in price?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERI have no direct evidence of the practice suggested in the question. It has, however, been reported that various associations of manufacturers in Germany allow rebates on home prices of iron and steel in respect of material used in the manufacture of goods for export. The amounts of the rebates vary, but a figure of 6 marks per ton has been mentioned in the case of pig iron.
§ Mr. CLARRYMay I ask what that amounts to per ton? I did not quite catch the figure.
§ Sir P CUNLIFFE-LISTERIt is 6 marks per ton in the case of pig iron.
§ Mr. CLARRYThat is a preferential rate for home consumption?
§ Sir P. CUNLIFFE-LISTERIt is a rebate on home prices.
§ Mr. CLARRYThat practically amounts to a preferential rate for home consumption.
§ Mr. LAWSONCan the right hon. Gentleman tell us if any of this steel was made from iron ore produced in the British Empire by long hours and short wages?