§ 35. Mr. F. Willeyasked the President of the Board of Trade for what amount licences are being granted for the import of mining machinery; from which countries such machinery is being imported; and why the machinery is not being made in this country.
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftImports of mining machinery in 1951 amounted to £583,000, mainly from Western Germany (£300,000), the United States of America (£120,000) and Sweden (£100,000). Imports from Western Germany and Sweden may be made under open general licence; imports from the United States require specific licences. These imports only amounted to about 2 per cent. of home production and consisted mostly either of spares to maintain existing machinery or, machinery not made in this country.