§ Wing-Commander Wrightasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the present shortage of steel is being intensified by the fact that hoarding is being carried on by manufacturing firms on the one hand who are fearful of not being able to get supplies and suppliers on the other hand who anticipate inflated prices; and whether, in view of the damaging effect this will have on our export trade, he will take steps which will have the effect of releasing these frozen stocks and so alleviating the present shortage of material?
§ Dr. BurginI am not aware that either suppliers or users of steel are holding unduly large stocks; in fact my information is that stocks are smaller than usual. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.
§ Mr. T. Williamsasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the output of pig iron and steel during the year 1932 and each succeeding year in the United States, Germany, Canada, Czechslovakia, Sweden, Russia 1881W and Great Britain; and the price per ton in Great Britain for each of the years referred to?
§ Dr. BurginThe following tables show the output of pig iron (including ferr-
I.—Production of Pig Iron. Country. 1932. 1933. 1934. 1935. 1936. Thousand tons (2,240 1bs.). United States … … … 8,781 13,346 16,139 21,373 30,619 Germany (including Saar) … … 5,199 6,750 10,400 12,639 15,061 Canada … … … 160 258 435 655 753 Czechoslovakia … … … 443 491 591 799 1,122 Sweden … … … 278 340 549 603 576 Russia (Soviet Union) … … … 6,079 7,018 10,329 12,407 14,093 Great Britain … … … 3,574 4,136 5,969 6,424 7,686
II.—Production of Steel Ingots and Castings. Country. 1932. 1933. 1934. 1935. 1936. Thousand tons (2,240 1bs.). United States … … … 13,681 23,232 26,055 34,093 46,919(a) Germany (including Saar) … … 7,119 9,141 13,648 16,187 18,847 Canada … … … 335 403 741 915 1,115 Czechoslovakia … … … 640 692 897 1,177 1,535 Sweden … … … 520 620 848 882 966 Russia (Soviet Union) … … … 5,833 6,780 9,540 12,401 16,083 Great Britain … … … 5,261 7,024 8,850 9,859 11,698 (a) Excluding crucible and electric steel, which amounted to about one and a half per cent, of the total steel production in the United States in 1934 and 1935.
III.—Iron and Steel Prices in Great Britain. Commodity. 1932. 1933. 1934. 1935. 1936. Shillings per ton. Pig Iron— Hematite, West Coast, mixed numbers d/d Sheffield. 83.50 83.50 83.50 84.70 90.04 Cleveland No. 3 foundry G.M.B. North-East Coast d/d Middlesbrough. 62.50 62.50 66.88 67.87 73.00 Northampton No. 3 foundry d/d 62.50 62.50 66.88 68.42 75.50 Scottish No. 3 foundry d/d 68.90 65.26 69.48 70.58 78.35 Steel billets, soft d/d 101.6 101.8 110.0 110.0 119.4