§ 18. Mr. Edelmanasked the Minister of Supply which imported commodities are bought on behalf of his Department; and in which cases he has made arrangements for forward deliveries to cover the requirements of British industry in 1951.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussVirgin aluminium, magnesium, copper, lead and zinc and finished steel are imported by the Ministry of Supply. Forward deliveries of these metals have been arranged for 1951, but present conditions of rising demand and limited world supplies do not allow me to give an assurance that the full requirements of industry will be met.
§ Mr. EdelmanWill my right hon. Friend confirm that a firm delivery date is mentioned in these contracts?
§ Mr. StraussNo, Sir. According to normal commercial practice, most of these orders do not carry with them a binding delivery date.