§ 43. Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the refusal to permit the export of mining machinery for the Malayan collieries is handicapping the output of tin from that Colony; and whether, in view of the importance of increasing our dollar income from tin exports at the earliest opportunity, he will arrange to permit the Malayan Government to import the necessary machinery from the U.S.A. during the continuance of the ban on the export of coal-mining machinery from Great Britain.
Mr. Creech JonesMy hon. Friend is misinformed. Permission has been given for the export of mining machinery from this country for the Malayan collieries, and the execution of the orders has been approved. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.
§ Mr. JannerCan the Minister say when this permission was given, because in a letter dated 10th May I was told that an order for between £300,000 and £400,000 worth of machinery had not been sanctioned by the administration here?
Mr. Creech JonesWe have co-operated with other Departments concerned in this matter, and I believe that it was probably a month ago that the National Coal Board were able to give an assurance that all objections had been withdrawn.