§ 25. Mr. Croninasked the Paymaster-General to give an approximate estimate as to the amount in ingot tons per annum by which the production of steel in the United Kingdom is now running below the maximum attainable with present productive resources.
§ Mr. MaudlingThe Iron and Steel Board estimates that the output of crude steel in October was roughly 3½ per cent. below the actual maximum atainable in present circumstances. In annual terms, this represents about 850,000 ingot tons.
§ Mr. CroninBearing in mind that we are at present importing over 1 million ingot tons per annum, largely from non-sterling sources, will the right hon. Gentleman ensure that that waste of productive capacity does not increase?
§ Mr. MaudlingThe interesting thing is that, while home deliveries were below the 1956 level so far in this year, the industry has increased its exports by more than the decline in home deliveries, and imports, to which the hon. Gentleman refers, have been cut by half.