HC Deb 11 July 1961 vol 644 cc198-9
28. Mr. K. Lewis

asked the President of the Board of Trade what would be the cost in a 12-month period of the amount of coal asked for by the Steel Company of Wales from the United States of America.

Mr. Maudling

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State stated in reply to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) on 30th May, it is not the practice to disclose particulars of applications for import licences by individual firms.

Mr. Lewis

Nevertheless, does not my right hon. Friend agree that this must be a costly business if we embark on it? Has he noticed the speeches made by the president of the Miners' Union and the chairman of the National Coal Board indicating that there is a loss of several millions a year owing to "wild cat" strikes—[HON. MEMBERS: "Oh."]—and does not he further agree that if we could stop unofficial strikes, we should not require—

Mr. Speaker

Order. This Question has nothing whatever to do with unofficial or other strikes.

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