HC Deb 16 November 1937 vol 329 cc192-5
27. Mr. R. Acland

asked the President of the Board of Trade which recommendations of the Import Duties Advisory Committee's Report on the steel industry, other than the recommendation in favour of a general oversight being kept upon the industry, are being considered or have been considered by the appropriate department and by the industry, respectively; in the case of those recommendations which have been considered, what conclusions have been reached; and, in the case of those recommendations that are being considered, when will conclusions be reached?

The President of the Board of Trade (Mr. Oliver Stanley)

I fear that it is not practicable, within the limits of an answer to a Parliamentary question, to make a comprehensive review of the field covered by the report of the Import Duties Advisory Committee on the iron and steel industry; but if the hon. Member will indicate the particular recommendations in which he is interested I will endeavour to give him the information that he desires.

Mr. Acland

Surely, in view of the fact that the Minister said, on 27th July: A number of other recommendations are now being considered by the Department."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 27th July, 1937; col. 2830, Vol. 326.] it ought to be possible for him to say which of the recommendations are being considered—if any are being considered at all?

Mr. Stanley

The point is that this committee, in their report, made something like 20 or 30 recommendations, and I feel that within the limits of question and answer it is impossible to deal with the situation. I should be glad to give the hon. Member information on any particular item.

Mr. Acland

If I put a question down, will the Minister state which paragraphs of this report are now being considered by his Department or by the industry?

Mr. Stanley

I can give this answer: All the recommendations of this report are being considered either by the industry or by the appropriate Government Department. If the hon. Gentleman would like to know how this inquiry into any of them stands at the moment, and if he would specify the particular case, I should be glad to give the information.

Mr. Acland

Am I right in thinking that, as this has been going on for some months now, no decision has been reached?

53. Mr. Acland

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will give details of the numbers of, and the salaries paid to, those members of the staff of the Import Duties Advisory Committee who are engaged solely upon the work of exercising supervision over the reasonableness or unreasonableness of the prices charged by the various branches of the British Iron and Steel Federation which fix prices for their products and for seeing that the prices fixed are in fact the prices charged; of ensuring that, in fact, there is no discrimination between members and nonmembers of the various subsidiary federations in regard to allocation of steel imported under the cartel agreements; of supervising the reasonableness or otherwise of any scheme adopted for allocating output according to quota; of supervising the economic, financial, and social desirability of any proposals for the expansion or removal of iron and steel productive plant; and of supervising the fairness or otherwise of any loyalty rebate scheme?

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury (Lieut.-Colonel Colville)

The work to which the hon. Member refers is still in a state of development, and the organisation of the committee's staff does not permit of the complete division between the staff employed on this and other work. I am informed, however, that a considerable part of the time of one assistant secretary and one principal officer is taken up with this and other work arising on iron and steel, while the following officers are wholly employed thereon, namely, a chief staff officer, an assistant principal, and two staff officers together with the appropriate clerical and other subordinate staff. In addition an advisory accountant is consulted as necessary on questions of. costs and prices. Particulars of the salaries of the officers so engaged are set out in the Estimates presented to Parliament. I may add that the committee are satisfied that their present staff is adequate for the purpose.

61. Sir Percy Harris

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is with his approval that the Iron and Steel Federation have stabilised steel prices at the present high level; whether he is aware that the price of steel is higher than it has been for many years; arid, in view of the drop in the price of scrap in the United States of America and the weakening of prices in the market, will he make clear that the Federation will not be allowed to exploit the monopoly against such users of steel as the tinplate, galvanised sheet, light castings manufacturers, and other users of steel, dependent largely on export markets for their trade?

Mr. Stanley

The Import Duties Advisory Committee exercise a general supervision over the price policy of the British Iron and Steel Federation and have concurred in the Federation's decision to maintain the present prices of certain iron and steel products during the year 1938. I am aware that the price of steel is higher than it has been for a number of years, but I have no doubt that the committee have satisfied themselves as to the justification for the decision and that full consideration has been given to the interests of the export trade in iron and steel products.

Miss Wilkinson

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there has been any consultation with the trade interests concerned or whether the Minister has simply taken the advice of the British Iron and Steel Federation?

Mr. Stanley

It is not a question of the Minister taking advice. I said that the Federation fixed prices after consultation with the Import Duties Advisory Committee.

Miss Wilkinson

Are the consumers' interests represented? That is what we want to get at.

Mr. Stanley

That is a matter for the Import Duties Advisory Committee.

Mr. Peat

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the increase in the price of steel since 1932 has been in the nature of 48 per cent., whereas the increase in the price of raw materials for use in the production of steel has been 98 per cent.?

Mr. Stanley

I should like to see details of these figures.