§ 46. Mr. Walter Fletcherasked the Prime Minister if he will give an assurance that there are held in this country under storage conditions giving ample protection, sufficient stocks of all strategic raw materials.
§ The Prime MinisterIf the hon. Member is referring to stocks of strategic materials held by the Government, it will not be in the public interest to make any statement. I can assure him, however, that the amount and location of stocks of such materials is being kept under continuous review.
§ Mr. FletcherIn view of the changing situation and the need for holding bigger stocks, owing to higher consumption in this country and the denuded state of stocks on the continent as well, will the Prime Minister review the whole of this situation with the idea of increasing these stocks, possibly at even the expense of dollars and gold?
§ The Prime MinisterThere is a special departmental committee continuously at work watching precisely these matters.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesIs the Prime Minister aware that since the Korean business there has been considerable speculation in the shares of companies owning strategic materials, especially tin and rubber, and will he consider emergency measures if necessary to nationalise these concerns without compensation?