§ 42. Miss Wilkinsonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information as to the use by the German Government of the I3rassert process of steel production at Hanover which was originally proposed for Jarrow; and whether any further attempts are being made to have this process for making steel from low-grade ores extended in England?
Mr. StanleyI have no information as to the use by the German Government of the process to which the hon. Member refers. With regard to the second part of the question, important advances have recently been made in this country in the production of steel from low-grade ores, and the question of the provision of additional basic Bessemer plant is being considered by a committee of the British Iron and Steel Federation.
§ Miss WilkinsonDoes the right hon. Gentleman now agree that very valuable time has been lost by the opposition of this very British Iron and Steel Trades Federation, which opposed this plant, which otherwise would now have been in operation for at least three years, and does he, in those circumstances, consider that the British Iron and Steel Trades Federation is the right body to be in sole control of whether this new process should now be started?
Mr. StanleyThis is such a difficult and technical matter that I am sure the hon. Lady will put the question on the Paper.
§ Miss WilkinsonWhile being more than willing to put the question down, I was asking on this matter for the Minister's opinion.
§ Mr. ThorneDo we understand from the reply that information about this new process is withheld, when as a matter of fact all the world knows about it?