HC Deb 18 March 1926 vol 193 c592
62. Sir PARK GOFF

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, before recommending a guarantee under the Trades Facilities Act to the Appleby Iron and Steel Company, the advisory committee considered how long it would be before the new plate mills could be used; and whether they expressed the view that by that time the demand for steel plates would be such as to exceed the productive capacity of all existing plants?

Mr. McNEILL

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; the estimated period which it will take for the work to be finished is two years. As regards the second part of the question, it is clearly impossible to say precisely what the demand for steel plates will be in two years' time.