HC Deb 04 February 1947 vol 432 cc335-6W
Mr. I. J. Pitman

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent the foreign manufacturers of foreign-assembled office machines have established, or have made proposals to establish, factories or have made other arrangements for the assembly of their products in this country; and if he will give an estimate of any change in the proportion of home-assembled machines expected to result after 10 years from any such increased assembly in this country.

Mr. Woodburn

No firms have recently established factories for this purpose or have made proposals to do so.

120. Mr. Pitman

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent foreign manufacturers of imported office machinery have established or have made proposals to establish factories or have made other arrangements for the manufacture of such products in this country; and if he will give an estimate of any change in the proportion of home-produced machinery expected to result after 10 years from such increased manufacture in this country.

Mr. Woodburn

We are doing all we can to encourage proposals of this kind. Two factories have already been established and four further schemes are under consideration. Although a small number of office machines are now being produced, it is too early to estimate the ultimate effect of these schemes on home production.

121 and 122. Mr. Pitman

asked the Minister of Supply (1) the total figures of home-produced and of foreign-produced office machinery which was supplied during the last available 12 months for the use of Government Departments and of other users in the United Kingdom; and the proportion of home-produced to the total;

(2) the total figures of foreign-produced but home-assembled office machinery and of foreign-produced and foreign-assembled office machinery which was supplied during the last available 12 months for the use of Government Departments and of other users in the United Kingdom; and the proportion of home-assembled to the total.

Mr. Woodburn

The approximate values of home-produced office machinery supplied in 1946 are:

To Government Departments £375,000
To other home users £3,325,000

The corresponding values of foreign produced and foreign-assembled office machinery are £25,000 and £1,150,000. I regret that no precise figures are available for foreign-produced and home-assembled office machinery, but the amount supplied during 1946 was very small.