§ 28. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the President of the Board of Trade if he can furnish a, list of classes of iron and steel imported into this country which cannot be produced in this country or which cannot be efficiently produced in this country, together with the value of such imports during the first 10 months of the present year and, for comparison, during the first 10 months of last year?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANApart from such commodities as ferro-chromium, certain grades of ferro-manganese and ferrosilicon, iron and steel smelted with charcoal, and the other iron and steel products which are on the Free List of the Import Duties Act, substantially all iron and steel products are produced in this country, though not perhaps in the precise qualities and quantities that are required at a particular moment by the consuming industries.
§ 29. Mr. H. WILLIAMSasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that during the first 10 months of this year the imports of iron and steel were 359,232 tons greater than in the corresponding period of last year, while the exports of iron and steel goods for the same periods increased by 281,734 tons; and, in view of these facts, what steps it is proposed to take to provide more employment for an industry so carried on, in, or near the depressed areas?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI am aware of the figures referred to by my hon. Friend., With regard to the second part of the question, I have no reason to think that the iron and steel industry in this country cannot be adequately protected under the existing procedure, and I notice that in this industry production is steadily increasing and unemployment is decreasing.
§ Mr. CAPORNCan my right hon. Friend give the House any estimate of the coal represented by 300,000 tons of iron and steel?
§ Mr. RUNCIMANI think my hon. Friend had better put a question down.