§ 51. Mr. Warbeyasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current rate of output of sheet steel in the British zone of Germany; and what percentage this represents of the level of output permitted by the Potsdam agreement and the peak output achieved during the war, respectively.
§ Mr. J. HyndThe current rate is 300,000 tons a year. The peak-year output during the period 1938–1945 was 1,150,000 tons. Under the level of industry agreement no specified level is laid down for the production of steel sheet as such, but the total production of steel in the British zone is limited to 4⅓ million tons.
§ Mr. WarbeyIn view of the threat to the British export trade occasioned by the cutting down of steel supplies for the motor industry, will the Chancellor see what steps are being taken to improve the output of sheet steel in the British zone to get more for this country?
§ Mr. HyndAll possible steps, of course, are being taken, in the first instance, to raise production of the total steel output, which includes sheet steel, to the permitted level under the existing agreement, which is four and one-third million tons. The reason why this figure was not reached was, as is well known, due to the difficulties over the coal situation which, I think, is now in process of improvement.