HC Deb 30 April 1951 vol 487 cc827-30
24. Mr. David Eccles

asked the Minister of Supply what steps he has taken in the last 12 months to acquire the British- owned supplies of tungsten ore which have been available.

Mr. G. R. Strauss

The acquisition of tungsten ore, whether British-owned or not, for current consumption, has been the responsibility of private enterprise, but in recent months my Department have also bought.

Mr. Eccles

How can the right hon. Gentleman square that answer with the fact that over the last 12 months more tungsten ore has gone to Sweden and Germany from Burma than has come to this country? If he was buying through private channels how is it that the men concerned have not paid the equivalent of the price got from the Swedes and Germans?

Mr. Strauss

I do not know to what mines the hon. Member refers.

Mr. Eccles

Consolidated Tin Mines of Burma shipped double the amount of tungsten ore to Sweden and Germany that came to this country in the last 12months. How can the right hon. Gentleman therefore say that he has done his best to get a better supply to this country?

Mr. Strauss

As I said, the import of these ores is in the hands of private enterprise—a state of affairs the hon. Gentleman likes. They have the responsibility for buying all the ores which are available and which they think it is right to buy, but recently, since the Korean war, my Department have tried to buy, and we have succeeded in buying, various parcels which private enterprise did not want.

Mr. Erroll

Could the Minister say how much he paid?

Mr. Strauss

Yes, Sir, but I would rather not, because we do not want to disclose the stocks we hold.

Mr. W. Fletcher

Was there a limit on the price which the Minister advised should be paid?

Mr. Strauss

Yes, we do not buy regardless of price.

Mr. Eccles

The Minister has contradicted the statement he made as recently as 20th April, when he said: Purchase and import are entirely in private hands. But that does not mean that the Government are not buyers through existing channels."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 20th April, 1951; Vol. 486, c. 2171.] If the Government are buying through existing channels, why have they not bought?

Mr. Strauss

I have just said that they have bought.

25. Mr. Eccles

asked the Minister of Supply what British-owned stocks of tungsten ore are available in Burma; and what steps he is taking to acquire these stocks through private channels.

Mr. G. R. Strauss

I am not aware of any available British-owned stocks of tungsten ore in Burma. I understand that there are some stocks in that part of Burma which is under Karen control, but that they cannot be brought out at present.

Mr. Eccles

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I am not referring to the stocks under Karen control, but to the 50 tons of tungsten ore that have been available in the last three weeks, belonging to the Consolidated Tin Mines of Burma, and for which not a single bid has come from this country?

Mr. Strauss

I will find out through the private importers, whose duty it is to buy ore, why they have not bought this ore.

Mr. W. Fletcher

On what grounds does the right hon. Gentleman say that the ore cannot be brought out? Has he made any effort?

Mr. Strauss

Yes, Sir. I am advised that there may be small quantities of ore at this mine, which is isolated, that there is no labour available, and that for physical reasons it is, therefore, impossible to get hold of it.

Mr. Mellish

If private enterprise are not doing the job, would it not be better to sack them and put in somebody who will do it?

Mr. Eccles

Did the right hon. Gentleman's first answer mean that he was relying entirely on private enterprise to tell him whether or not there is a supply of metals available? If that is so, how can he say that he is responsible for steel hardening alloys when he does not know the facts himself?

Mr. Strauss

I did not say I was responsible. The import of many of these alloying elements is the responsibility of private enterprise. They keep us advised of what they are doing and about parcels, which are available but which they do not want to buy themselves. They have not advised us of this particular parcel and I will make inquiries immediately.