§ 59. Mr. Ewartasked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps he intends to take to make up the 12 per cent. shortfall of steel, in the third quarter allocation, to the shipbuilding industry in Sunderland.
§ Mr. DigbyThe reduction in the steel allocation for merchant shipbuilding in the third quarter was due to the fall in the total supplies of steel in that quarter.
As my right hon. Friend explained to the hon. Member on 9th July, however, the effect of a separate allocation for certain re-armament contracts will be that almost the same amount of steel will go to the Sunderland area in the third quarter as was allocated in the second quarter. It is not possible at the present time to forecast the likely level of the allocation in the fourth quarter of the year.
§ Mr. F. Willeyasked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the improved supply position regarding steel, he will revise the allocation of steel to the shipbuilding industry.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasNo. The total supplies of steel for the third quarter of this year are not likely to exceed the tonnage on which the allocations were based.