Mr. Fletcherasked the Minister of Technology what action he will take to alleviate the difficulties of manufacturers of steel pressure vessels, heat exchangers and storage tanks for the chemical, oil and gas industries, in view of the fact that these products valued at about £20 million were ordered from abroad in 1966 for delivery to the United Kingdom while some British firms were working a four-day week.
§ Mr. BennMy Ministry has had recent discussions with the Tank and Industrial Plant Association on this question and has undertaken, in collaboration with the N.E.D.C. Process Plant Working Party, to examine the problems of supply and demand in this sector of industry.
51WAs I stated on 9th December last in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Hannan) I have appointed an expert and independent Committee of Inquiry with the following terms of reference: "To recommend ways of improving pressure vessel technology including standards, design and manufacture". I believe that the work of this committee, which has already started, will help the fabricating industry to meet the challenge of foreign competition.—[Vol. 737, c. 377–8.]