80. Mr. Vyvyan Adamsasked the Minister of Supply at what price per ton the aluminium control of the Ministry of Supply purchases raw aluminium, the bulk of which is consumed in the manufacture of aircraft, from the British Aluminium Company; and what is the difference between that price and the price at which raw aluminium is sold to manufacturers by the aluminium control?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (Colonel Llewellin)My right hon. Friend is buying the entire output of raw aluminium of the British Aluminium Company at prices varying with quality and form, but based on the pre-war price of £94 a ton for ingot aluminium. He is also buying aluminium from various countries abroad, and our selling price of £110 a ton is calculated to ensure that no loss is involved in the transactions as a whole.
Mr. AdamsIs it a fact that the Aluminium Controller and his deputy controller were officials of the British Aluminium Company?
§ Colonel LlewellinThat, of course, is quite true. They are the biggest suppliers of aluminium in this country—over 90 per cent.—but the prices at which we buy it are not settled by the Controller.
Mr. AdamsIs not my hon. and gallant Friend aware that the British Aluminium Company are in fact the sole producers of aluminium in this country?
§ Colonel LlewellinIt produces at least 90 per cent. of the supplies that are used in this country. Perhaps I was incorrect in saying that they were 90 per cent. of the producers.
§ Colonel LlewellinAny profit made on the sale of aluminium goes to the Treasury and in no way to the Control.
Mr. AdamsWill not the British Aluminium Company have to publish a balance-sheet at the end of the current year?
§ Mr. Herbert MorrisonIn view of the extensive practice of the Government in putting in charge of certain departments people who are in the industries concerned, can the Minister or the Prime Minister say when this objectionable form of capitalist syndicalism will stop?
§ Colonel LlewellinWhen we appoint people who have no connection with the industry concerned, we are often told that we should have put in people who know something more about it. In the case of these controllers, we are quite justified in the selections we have made.
§ Mr. Garro JonesIs the Minister aware that the largest purchasers of aluminium from the Government consider it is beings old at £30 a ton too much and that any investigation of the costs of production will bear that out?
§ Colonel LlewellinI should have thought that that was not accurate. The largest buyers of aluminium are, of course, the Royal Air Force.