HC Deb 04 May 1953 vol 515 cc3-5
3. Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Materials what progress has been made in the last 10 weeks in restoring those commodities to private enterprise trading which are the subject of State trading and for which his Department is responsible; and whether he will now announce a firm date for handing back to private traders all import and other transactions in relation to copper, aluminium, magnesium, tungsten ore, jute and imported jute goods, sulphur, pyrites and soft hemp, in accordance with the declared policy of Her Majesty's Government to restore a free, unfettered and private enterprise market in respect of each of these commodities.

Sir A. Salter

Encouraging progress is being made, but the announcement of a firm decision and date for returning any commodity to private trade must depend on the special circumstances of each case. With the permission of the House. I shall be making a statement later today on copper, which in terms of value covers over half of the Ministry's imports.

Mr. Nabarro

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that these State trading activities are an unwanted relic of Socialism to which the whole of this party is firmly opposed, and will he take an early opportunity to scrap his Department and emulate the excellent example of the Minister of Food?

Sir A. Salter

I have on more than one occasion stated the general policy of Her Majesty's Government in this respect; but it is a very incomplete description of the reasons for the public trading that has taken place, and which, in some cases, is still continuing, to say that it is a relic of Socialist policy.

Mr. Fernyhough

Can the Minister say whether the Minister of Food consulted the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) before he bought by bulk purchase, on behalf of the State, a million tons of sugar from Cuba?

Mr. Speaker

That is not a question for the Minister of Materials.

4. Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Materials what further losses have been incurred in respect of trading in those commodities for which his Department is responsible, measured from the termination of the accounting period to which the figure of £42,600,000 applies, to the latest convenient date; what part of that loss is due to his continued trading in copper and aluminium; and why he has not yet restored a free market in these commodities in accordance with the declared policy of Her Majesty's Government.

Sir A. Salter

It is less than five weeks since the period to which the estimate referred to ended. It would serve no useful purpose, and involve disproportionate work, to present an interim trading account for so short a period. I have just referred to copper; I can make no statement today about aluminium.

Mr. Nabarro

I am not very happy about that reply. Is it not a fact that last year we made a very heavy trading loss? Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that every competent private enterprise company produces a monthly trading account in order that it can tell whether it is making a loss or earning a profit, and will he do the same?

Sir A. Salter

The situation is being very carefully watched, but, as I said to my hon. Friend, it would involve a disproportionate amount of work to calculate the receipts and sales in respect of any one of a number of commodities from day to day.

5. Mr. Nabarro

asked the Minister of Materials the duties for which his Department is responsible, other than State trading; what steps are being taken to abandon such duties in accord with the policy of Her Majesty's Government: and why he has been unable to prepare a timetable for elimination of the current administrative cost of his Department at £1,100,000 per annum, thereby expunging his Department.

Sir A. Salter

The duties of my Department have already been described in Command 8278. Whether public trading is practised or not the Government in present circumstances must continue to concern itself with problems, both long-term as well as short-term, which arise in the supply, distribution, and use of the materials needed by industry and for the strategic stockpile.

The estimated cost this year is 30 per cent. less than last year, but I am unable to give my hon. Friend the timetable he desires because I cannot control the world developments on which it must largely depend.

Mr. Nabarro

While congratulating my right hon. Friend on that 30 per cent. economy, may I ask him whether he appreciates that what hon. Gentlemen on this side of the House require is a 100 per cent. economy, and the total elimination of his Department which is merely a barnacle on the Board of Trade?

Lieut.-Colonel Lipton

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that last week in the House he gave an undertaking that he would make an important statement on certain materials in the autumn? May we have an undertaking from him that he will be spared until then to make the statement he has promised to make?

Sir W. Smithers

May I ask the Minister when the Ministry of Materials will abandon the hopeless task of trying to make Socialism work? Does he not realise that the only hope for this country is for goods and services freely to move both at home and abroad under the wing of private and experienced traders?

Sir A. Salter

If my hon. Friend refers to the statements of policy which I have made and statements which are being made, and the progress towards the reversion to private trade, and if he will also consider the reasons for the continuance of public trading where it does continue, I think he will modify his attitude and his rather doctrinaire view.