§ 34. Mr. J. Grimstonasked the Minister of Supply why he has requested nonferrous metal manufacturers to divert supplies of raw material away from manufacturers making articles classed in his list as inessential.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussSo that the limited supplies of zinc and copper should be used to make goods of the greatest importance to the national economy.
§ Mr. GrimstonIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that in trying to make the best use of metal, there is only one real answer to this and that is to get more?
§ Mr. StraussI quite agree.
§ Mr. P. RobertsWill the right hon. Gentleman give an undertaking that the cutlery trade in Sheffield, which depends a great deal on copper as its raw material, will be given at least a priority?
§ Mr. StraussI cannot give the undertaking that a special exception will be made for this trade.
§ 37. Brigadier Prior-Palmerasked the Minister of Supply what steps he is taking, in view of rearmament, to obtain the maximum amount of scrap metals.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussI intend making orders to control the price and distribution of non-ferrous scrap and discourage hoarding. I hope that these 559 measures will serve to keep scrap fully in circulation. The British Iron and Steel Federation have recently undertaken an intensive drive to secure larger quantities of ferrous scrap from sources in this country and are purchasing from abroad the maximum tonnages available to supplement home supplies.
§ Brigadier Prior-PalmerDoes the right hon. Gentleman realise that large quantities of scrap are being sent from the desert clearance scheme in North Africa to Italy? Will he see that this scrap now comes to this country and is not sold in Italy?
§ Mr. StraussEvery effort is made to get scrap from any part of the world, and if the hon. and gallant Gentleman has any information about scrap not in our possession I would be grateful if he will pass it on.
§ Mr. ErrollWill the Steel Corporation make adequate arrangements to continue the drive after 15th February?
§ Mr. StraussThe collection of scrap is being conducted at the moment by the Federation. Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will ask me that question after 15th February.
§ Mr. ErrollWill the Minister answer it?
§ Mr. StraussThe hon. Gentleman can be perfectly sure that the Corporation will do everything to encourage the collection of scrap.
§ 39. Mr. Geoffrey Lloydasked the Minister of Supply whether, in order to remove uncertainty in the Midland metal industries, he will publish the terms of the guidance given by his Department to non-ferrous metal suppliers on how they should discriminate in making supplies available to different classes of industrial users.
§ Mr. G. R. StraussI have issued no guidance beyond the statement which appeared in the Press on 29th December. I then said that it was the Government's policy to assure not only full supplies for re-armament, but also as much as possible for other uses, particularly capital and other goods for the equipment of industry and valuable exports. I asked galvanisers and manufacturers of zinc and brass products, pending the issue of the 560 order prohibiting certain uses, to discriminate as far as practicable in accordance with the Government's views and to give preferential treatment where small quantities are essential to the production of engineering goods of a high conversion value.
§ Mr. LloydWould it not have been more useful to have made the limitation on the concession clear when the officers of this Department met the metal industry's deputation?
§ Mr. StraussI think it was well understood.