Tinplate Exports

HC Deb 20 March 1952 vol 497 cc2524-6

7. Mr. Peter Roberts

asked the President of the Board of Trade in view of the fact that importation of canned goods from Denmark has been drastically reduced for the year ending 1952, whether he will reduce the supplies of tinplate to Denmark by 3,000 tons, on account of the grave need of the home-canning industry for the supply of tinplate.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

No, Sir. Denmark is a most important supplier of essential foodstuffs and we cannot disregard her essential requirements. Tinplate for canning milk will be supplied up to the amount needed for the Ministry of Food's contracts we have already arranged to reduce the supply of other tinplate to Denmark in proportion to the estimated reduction in our imports of canned meat.

Mr. Roberts

Does that mean that there will not be exports from this country of tinplate for canned goods of a more luxury nature which, under the previous Government, were imported into this country at high prices?

Mr. Thorneycroft

It means that the tinplate exports have been reduced pari passu with the reductions which have had to be imposed on imports of canned goods.

8. Mr. P. Roberts

asked the President of the Board of Trade for an assurance that, in the year ending December, 1952, the supplies of tinplate exported to Egypt will be reduced by 3,000 tons and supplies to Iran by 5,000 tons from the amounts supplied to these countries, respectively, during the year ended 31st December, 1951, in view of the need for the consumption in the home-canning industry and the difficulties with which we are confronted caused by the countries concerned.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

It is not our practice to disclose detailed figures of our allocations of tinplate to individual countries as this would weaken our bargaining position with other countries. But I can say that exports of tinplate to Persia have been eliminated and thus reduced by rather more than the figure quoted by my hon. Friend, while exports of tinplate to Egypt will be reduced by rather less than that suggested.

Mr. Roberts

Is my right hon. Friend aware that that will be a very satisfactory answer to the growers of fruit and vegetables in this country who will need the tinplate during the summer in order to help our supplies?