§ 69. Mr. DAVID GRENFELLasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the representations from tinplate manufacturers in South Wales as to the consequences to the export trade in tinplate which they anticipate if imported steel bars for tinplate manufacture are subjected to a duty; and what reply he has returned?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMy right hon. Friend has received these representations, which are being carefully considered.
§ Major BEAUMONT THOMASIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the representations he has received have the support of only about 10 per cent. of the tinplate industry?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAMy right hon. Friend is well aware of all the facts.
§ Mr. MACQUISTENWill the hon. Gentleman call attention to the dire
§ The following table shows (a) the production of tin, terne and black plates, in the United Kingdom,(b) the imports of tinplate bars, (c) the average price of home-produced tin bars, and (d) the average declared value (c i.f.) of tinplate bars imported, in each moth from January to September, 1931, the latest mouth for which complete information is available.
§ The first two columns will give some ides of the relation between the total imports of tinplate bars and the total output of tin, terne and black plates, but the actual proportion of imported material used in the production of these plates cannot be stated.
| Prices. | |||||||||||
| Mouth. | Production of Tin, Berne and Black plates | Total Imports of Tinplate Bars. | Average weekly quotation for home produced Tin Bars: basis prices net, usual deliveries. | Average declared value (c.i.f.) of Tin Plate bars imported (b). | |||||||
| A. | B. | C. | D. | ||||||||
| per ton. | per ton. | ||||||||||
| 1931. | Tons. | Tons. | £ | s. | d. | £ | s. | d. | |||
| January | … | … | … | 55,600 | 8,110 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| February | … | … | … | 49,400 | 8,456 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 |
| March | … | … | … | 53,600 | 8,644 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
| April | … | … | … | 56,400 | 9,786 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
| May | … | … | … | 58,900 | 5,172 | 4 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| June | … | … | … | 49,000 | 5,249 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| July | … | … | … | 73,600 | 9,514 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| August | … | … | … | 50,000 | 6,228 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 9 |
| September | … | … | … | 60,000 | 11,081 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 6 |
§ Note.—The production figures are those reported by the National federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers. The average quotation for home-produced tin bars is taken from the "Iron and Coal Trades Review."
§ (b) To this value must be added the cost of delivery to works.
748§ effect on the coal trade if a duty is not put on these imports?
§ 70. Mr. GRENFELLasked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the steel used for tinplate manufacture is produced abroad, and the average difference in the value of the imported bars and the home-produced bars on delivery at the tinplate works?
§ Mr. HORE-BELISHAI will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT the most recent statistical information on this matter.
§ Mr. L. JONESIn giving his answer to that question, will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind the fact that on some of the bars imported there is a subsidy of 368. a ton?
§ Major THOMASIs the hon. Gentleman also aware that only a few months ago 90 per cent. of the tinplate manufactures of this country were manufactured out of British tinplate bars?
§ Following is the information: