HC Deb 26 January 1948 vol 446 cc96-7W
118. Mr. Erroll

asked the Minister of Supply, in view of the imminent shortage of electric welding electrodes, what steps he is taking to augment supplies of suitable steel to welding electrode manufacturers.

Mr. G. R. Strauss

This type of wire is made from billets of special quality. Hitherto the expanded demand has been met by means of the import of the requisite billets from the U.S.A., but this supply is no longer available. Expansion of production here is difficult owing to the special capacity and technique required, but output is being increased as far as possible, while we are trying to import electrode wire as such from the U.S.A