§ 53. Sir ROBERT GOWERasked the President of the Board of Trade the value of foreign road-stone setts and kerb imparted into this country during the past year?
§ 73. Sir R. GOWERasked the Minister of Transport the value of foreign road-stone setts and kerb used in the construction and repairing of British roads during the past year; and whether he will state, having regard to the large number of skilled and unskilled quarry workers unemployed in this country through lack of orders, why British road-stone setts and kerb have not been used?
§ The MINISTER of TRANSPORT (Colonel Ashley)Although no exact figures are available, I should estimate the value of foreign road-stone setts and kerb used in the construction and repairing of British roads during the past year as between £ 600,000 and £ 700,000. Every endeavour is made by my Department to encourage the use of British materials, but only a portion of the work of the highway authorities comes under my review. As regards road-stone, the tonnage of imported materials represents less than one-sixtieth part of the total consumption of road-stone in Great Britain. My hon. Friend will realise that some parts of the country are so placed as to enable water-borne materials from abroad to compete favourably with British products.
§ Sir COOPER RAWSONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that last year 248,000 tons of foreign roadstone were imported into this country, and that many 879 men in the quarry industry are out of work, in spite of the fact that there are many thousands of tons of home-produced material available for the use of our own roads? [An HON. MEMBER:" At what price?"] At less price sometimes than foreign materials.
§ Colonel ASHLEYMy hon. Friend must be aware that the Government does all it can to encourage the use of British 'materials. Circulars have been issued to local authorities urging them to give preference to British material in all cases where possible.
§ Sir C. RAWSONMay I ask if it is the ease that the Ministry have issued instructions only with regard to work in connection with unemployment, but not in connection with other work?
§ Colonel ASHLEYMy hon. Friend is misinformed.
§ Sir C. RAWSONNo.
§ Colonel ASHLEYAs regards any work done by the Unemployment Grants Committee, all material used must be British. In the case of ordinary grants, we urge that, wherever possible, preference should be given to British material.
§ Sir C. RAWSONWill the right hon. Gentleman do more than urge? Will he introduce legislation to make it compulsory?
§ Mr. BASIL PETOWill the right hon. Gentleman consider doing something more than advising local authorities in cases where grants are made by his Department? Will he in future specify that where these grants are made by his Department to local authorities, only British material shall be used?
§ Colonel ASHLEYWhere the responsibility for the work rests with a local authority, the ultimate responsibility must rest with them.