§ Mr. R. S. Hudson(by Private Notice) asked the Prime Minister whether he can make a statement showing what are the inter-Departmental arrangements regarding the distribution of materials referred to in paragraph 17 of Cmd. 8278 in view of the many changes that have taken place since the date mentioned in the White Paper.
§ The Secretary of State for the Home Department (Mr. Ede)I have been asked to reply.
An inter-Departmental Committee. under Ministerial chairmanship, meets regularly to consider the supply and demand of the more important scarce materials and to settle how the available supplies should be allocated between the various sponsoring Departments and the main groups of industrial consumers. These decisions are made effective—by the Departments concerned—as regards supplies to individuals firms by licensing or other means. The materials dealt with vary from time to time, but at present the main materials covered are sheet steel, tinplate, softwood, sulphur and sulphuric acid.