HC Deb 27 March 1956 vol 550 cc1954-6
26. Mr. Nabarro

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the grave concern felt by British exporters to dollar markets upon learning that dollar funds have been used for purchase by the National Coal Board of opencast coal-mining machinery from the United States of America, at a cost of $3,000,000 approximately, when equivalent British machinery was available at slightly longer delivery; that the drag-line excavators concerned are now out of commission on the North-East Coast, representing great losses, and whether he will arrange to form a special committee of representatives of the Ministry of Fuel and Power, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Board of Trade and the Treasury, to assure that British machinery is preferred to United States machinery by nationalised industries, dollar funds adequately conserved, and a policy embraced of "Buy British."

Mr. S. Silverman

On a point of order. Before this inordinately long Question on the Order Paper is answered, Mr. Speaker, may I ask whether it is still the rule of order that hon. Members may not make speeches on supplementary questions; and if it is, then is it not equally out of order to make a speech on the Order Paper?

Mr. Speaker

There is a rule of order against inordinately long Questions on the Order Paper. I did not think that this Question was inordinately long. I would not call it a speech; it is more like an essay.

Mr. Low

As regards the first two parts of the Question, I have nothing to add to what was said in reply to my hon. Friend on 22nd March. As to the last part of the Question, the existing arrangements for inter-Departmental consultation on import policy and the issue of import licences, which apply to imports by the nationalised industries as to those by private traders, are in the Government's view entirely adequate. Accordingly, my right hon. Friend considers there is no need to set up a special committee of the kind suggested.

Mr. Nabarro

If my right hon. Friend refuses a committee of this sort, what steps will he take in future to prevent bureaucratic blundering of the type manifest in this situation? Is he aware that not only has there been a great dissipation of hard-won dollar resources, but there is also a loss of tens of thousands of tons of coal weekly at a time when the National Coal Board has an accumulated deficit of £37 million? Is that of any concern to him? [HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."] A jolly good one.

Mr. Low

The principle upon which this import licence for dollar machinery was given was stated in answer to my hon. Friend by the President of the Board of Trade on 22nd March. I really cannot see how it would have helped in the matter of the deficit of the National Coal Board to have forced it to accept machines six months later than the machines it got in this manner.

Mr. Bottomley

Is the Minister really satisfied that existing machinery is working satisfactorily, when it is remembered that dollar imports are ever increasing and adding to our economic difficulties?

Mr. Low

It depends whether the right hon. Gentleman is referring to the coal machinery, or to the machinery of Government. It is certainly true that the coal machinery broke down, but it is expected to be repaired very shortly. We are satisfied that the machinery of Government is working very satisfactorily.