HC Deb 21 June 1954 vol 529 c31
57. Mr. Harold Davies

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of manganese imported from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the past two years.

The Minister of State, Board of Trade (Mr. Heathcoat Amory)

In the 12 months, June, 1953, to May, 1954, 93,000 tons of manganese ore valued at £1,688,000 were imported from the Soviet Union. There were no imports from the Soviet Union in the previous 12 months.

Mr. Davies

I thank the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, but does he not think that the time has come for a complete revision of the list of strategic goods the export of which to Eastern Europe and China is banned? Is he not aware that manganese is one of the most strategic materials that we could import?

Mr. Amory

The hon. Gentleman will know that manganese ore is not on our embargo list, and he will also know that in consultation with other co-operating countries, we are engaged in negotiations with a view to substantially shortening the present list of embargoed items.