HC Deb 20 December 1956 vol 562 cc1453-4
43. Mr. Gibson-Watt

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much dollar currency was released by the Treasury for the purchase of imported timber for pitwood and railway sleepers in 1954 and 1955, respectively.

Mr. P. Thorneycroft

Pitwood and railway sleepers may be imported from any country under open individual licences. Imports from the dollar area were £2.8 million in 1954 and £4.3 million in 1955. All this pitwood and about three quarters of these sleepers came from Canada.

Mr. Gibson-Watt

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Watson Report, which has just been produced, reveals that the figures relating to the National Coal Board's use of home-produced pitwood show a very great improvement? Would it be possible to urge British Railways, which in its way is doing good to the home trade, to improve its figures considerably in this respect?

Mr. Thorneycroft

I will look into that paint, but these are imports from a Commonwealth country, and I am sure that my hon. Friend would not wish to stop them.