HC Deb 09 March 1937 vol 321 c958
36. Mr. Thurtle

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the Government have under consideration any plans for developing the production of iron ore in the West Cumberland district?

Captain Crookshank

As the hon. Member is aware, the haematite iron ore industry in Cumberland has already received substantial benefit from the great improvement in the position of the iron and steel industry which has been made possible by the Government's tariff policy, and the new orders required for defence purposes have also had a beneficial effect upon the demand for high-class steel manufactured from haematite ore. The possibility of further developing the resources of the West Cumberland iron ore fields is at present the subject of examination by the Cumberland Development Council in conjunction with the Commissioner for the Special Areas, the Geological Survey Board and my Department.

Mr. E. J. Williams

Would not the Secretary for Mines agree that the tariff policy of the Government has had much to do with the contraction of the export of ore?