§ 78. Major Markhamasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works and Planning whether he will ascertain from the local authorities why the scrapping of iron railings is proceeding so slowly in some districts in Hertfordshire; and what are the reasons for not including the railings around Hatfield Park in the scrapping list?
§ Mr. HicksThe removal of railings in Hertfordshire is proceeding as rapidly as the labour available for this work will permit and over 1,700 tons of railings have been collected from the county to date. I am informed that the railings at Hatfield Park were omitted from the schedule prepared by the local authority on the ground that they are required to enclose cattle which graze in the grounds.
§ Major MarkhamIs the Minister aware that those railings are extremely dilapidated and would not keep any cattle in, and as they represent scores of tons of scrap, ought they not in the national interest to be removed?
§ Mr. Austin HopkinsonIn view of the immense waste of labour and transport in collecting these railings, will the Minister review the whole situation inasmuch as the product of scrap is ridiculously low in-comparison with the waste of labour and transport?
§ Mr. HicksI cannot agree with the hon. Member in his deduction. I can only inform him that over 370,000 tons of railings have been gathered as a result of the policy pursued throughout the country. That is a very powerful contribution to the scrap required. It is not fair for any hon. Member seeing certain scrap in a certain position to assume that because it is there no more is required. I can assure the hon. Member that the demand for scrap is still very urgent, and my Ministry are asked to collect it as rapidly as possible.
§ Mr. HopkinsonWhat proportion of the total amount of scrap used has been collected from these railings?
§ Mr. HopkinsonAre we to understand that 1,250,000 tons represent all the scrap that is used in steel works in this country?