HC Deb 30 November 1943 vol 395 cc208-10

The following Question stood upon the Order Paper in the name of Mr. R. C. MORRISON:

95. To ask the Minister of Supply what action he is taking to deal with the accumulations of iron and steel municipal scrap in various areas; and whether he is satisfied that it is still necessary to continue to collect and segregate this material?

The Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply (Mr. Peat)

With your permission, Mr. Speaker, I wish to make a statement relating to the collection and segregation of iron and steel municipal scrap referred to in Question 95 on the Order Paper to-day which has not been reached. The statement is a matter of some importance and should, believe, be communicated to the House.

The greater part of this material is destructor scrap, consisting of empty tins and discarded household utensils. This scrap is bulky and expensive to treat and transport. Owing to the presence of tin and other impurities, it cannot be used directly for steel making but can only be used in limited quantities in blast furnaces for the manufacture of pig iron. The scrap in question has been of great use in increasing the output of iron from the furnaces, but thanks to the efforts of the public and the local authorities we have now accumulated a substantial reserve stock, and the present collection has increased to a point exceeding the capacity of the industry to consume. In these circumstances my right hon. Friend has decided that the scheme for compulsory segregation and collection of domestic ferrous scrap by local authorities shall be continued only in the case of those equipped to enable the material to be readily utilised and that it shall be discontinued in the case of other local authorities. My right hon. Friend has made arrangements, in consultation with my Noble Friend the Minister of Works, whose Department acts as the agent of the Ministry of Supply for the collection of this and other classes of scrap, whereby all material already collected by local authorities and in their hands on 31st December, 1943, will be cleared and paid for under the existing arrangements as expeditiously as possible, having regard to labour and transport difficulties. New arrangements will be negotiated with the local authorities selected to continue collection.

I would like to emphasise two points. Firstly, that this does not imply any change in the demand for other types of ferrous scrap suitable for direct use in the steel furnaces. The need for this is greater than ever. Some of the abnormal sources of supply we have tapped are beginning to dry up, and this will necessitate intensified efforts in other directions. Secondly, the fact we have achieved so satisfactory a position on this one item of salvage does not reflect any lessening of the importance of salvage generally. On the contrary, one reason for diverting energy from the collection of tins is to enable greater effort to be put into other fields of salvage, where the need is still acute.

Mr. R. C. Morrison

Will the Minister, in communicating this decision to the local authorities and the public, add an expression of his thanks for the excellent work that the local authorities and the public have put in in making this decision possible?

Mr. Peat

Yes, Sir.

Sir A. Knox

And will that vote of thanks cover the people who have collected the scrap?

Mr. Pethick-Lawrence

Will the public be informed, either by the local authorities or by the hon. Gentleman's Department, whether in their particular case the collection will be continued or discontinued? The hon. Gentleman has said that certain local authorities will continue in the collection, and that others will not. Will the public get the information, so that they will know whether they are to save the scrap?

Mr. Peat

Yes, Sir; steps are being taken to-day to make a public announcement to this effect, and the local authorities are being asked to communicate with their people.