HC Deb 07 November 1949 vol 469 cc892-4
68. Mr. Skeffington-Lodge

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps the Government intend to take to safeguard the employment of British workers, having regard to the recent relaxation of import restrictions and the risk that low-priced goods resulting from sweated labour in Europe and elsewhere may now arrive here in large quantities.

Mr. Bottomley

I have no evidence that unemployment is arising, or is likely to arise, in this country as a result of competition from goods produced by sweated labour in O.E.E.C. Europe, or other countries to which the recent relaxation of import restrictions extends. His Majesty's Government would, of course, consider what action to take if and when any such difficulties appeared likely to arise. It is the policy of the Government to do all they can in the international field to promote fair labour standards.

Mr. John Hynd

Will the Minister try to persuade his right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary that a great contribution can be made to this problem by bringing Germany into full membership of the I.L.O., and thus preventing sweated conditions of labour arising there?

Mr. Austin

Further to the original answer, is my hon. Friend aware that exports of textiles and textile machinery have already been seriously affected by manufactures from Japan?

Mr. Bottomley

I have not that information.

Mr. Charles Williams

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the whole Tory Party are expecting him to safeguard British industry in this way?

ALL FIGURES TO NEAREST THOUSAND TONS OF 2,240 LB.
Year Production of Steel in the United Kingdom Imports of Steel into the United Kingdom
Production of Crude Steel (Steel ingots and Steel for castings) Production of Semi-Finished Steel (a) (c) Imports of Crude Steel (Ingots) Imports of Semi-Finished Steel (a)
1929 9,636 7,242 42 991
1930 7,326 5,648 35 1,093
1931 5,203 3,295 22 1,250
1932 5,261 4,174 5 739
1933 7,024 5,775 3 314
1934 8,850 6,931 6 455
1935 9,859 8,008 6 362
1936 11,785 9,705 6 548
1937 12,984 10,715 33 588
1938 10,398 8,437 23 351
1939 13,221 *(b) 24 806
1940 12,975 * 488 1,581
1941 12,312 * 563 1,732
1942 12,942 * 481 1,118
1943 13,031 * 498 964
1944 12,142 * 298 701
1945 11,824 * 36 80
1946 12,695 * 75 309
1947 12,725 * 112 212
1948 14,877 * 19 188
1949 (first 9 months Annual Rate). 15,449 * 11 404
* Not available.
Notes:—
(a) "Semi-Finished Steel" includes billets, blooms, slabs, sheet bars and tinplate bars.
(b) The collection of statistics of production of semi-finished steel was discontinued in 1939 since the figures served no very useful purpose. An estimate of the production in later years may be made, by taking 85 per cent. of the corresponding figures for crude steel production.
(c) Production of semis from home-produced ingot and imported ingot.
Mr. Driberg

Has not my hon. Friend heard of the great industrial recovery of Western Germany—on a purely capitalist basis, with mass unemployment and very low-paid labour?