§ Colonel Baldwin-Webbasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that, owing to the Iron and Steel Federation refusing to quote and maintain firm forward prices, the export trade will be seriously prejudiced; and whether he will take steps to see that an agreed proportion of raw material can be guaranteed with forward prices for such export purposes?
§ Mr. RuncimanI am aware that, in view of the uncertainty as to future prices and costs, the iron and steel industry have found themselves unable to quote firm prices for long periods ahead. I understand that the British Iron and Steel Federation are investigating the movement of production costs with a view to fixing prices for a further period and hope shortly to be in a position to discuss these with the Import Duties Advisory Committee.
§ Colonel Baldwin-Webbasked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in 806W view of the serious effect that any hold-up of any supplementary trade supplies must have on the 1,300,000 persons directly employed on building, together with the large number in auxiliary trades, he will take steps to see that an equitable share of pig-iron, scrap, and steel is allotted to these trades by the Iron and Steel Federation consistent with past consumption?
§ Mr. RuncimanThe efforts which are being made to ensure supplies of iron and steel both from the United Kingdom and abroad will, I hope, go far to reverse the present difficulties of supply and in the meantime I have no reason to think that the building and allied trades are not obtaining a reasonable share of the available supplies.