§ 22. Mr. Edmund Harveyasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the promised consultations between the Government of Northern Rhodesia, the Mineworkers' Union and two mining companies have taken place; whether an amicable agreement has now been reached; and whether he can give any information as to how the African miners will be affected by the cut in copper production.
§ Colonel StanleyAs the answer is necessarily rather long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The general copper situation for 1944 has now been reviewed by the Combined 1889 Raw Materials Board in Washington and it has been decided that, in order to safeguard the Allied Nations' copper position, production from all sources should be maintained as far as practicable. Any production from the sources hitherto allocated to the United Kingdom in excess of their requirements will be made available in 1944 to the U.S.A., or the U.S.S.R., as may be arranged in agreement with the appropriate authorities of the countries concerned.
§ In Northern Rhodesia, production will be at the level which can be maintained with the existing labour force and without involving His Majesty's Government in abnormal capital expenditure on replacement of plant. As the result of the operation of these factors, production for 1944 will be on a lower level than that of 1943, but, as regards the effect on labour, although there has been some voluntary release, there has been no retrenchment on grounds of production policy, nor will there be any so long as the position remains as it is at present. In these circumstances, it has not so far been necessary to hold the consultations referred to in the first part of the Question.