HC Deb 25 October 1935 vol 305 cc487-8W
Mr. HOLDSWORTH

asked the President of the Board of Trade what classes of iron and steel are included in the Board's official index of wholesale iron and steel prices, and which of the several prices are used as a basis of the calculation?

— Year 1932. Year 1933. Year 1934. January to July, 1935.
'000 dollars. '000 dollars. '000 dollars. '000 dollars.
Iron and steel semi-manufactures 14,517 25,789 56,902 34,660
Steel mill manufactures 14,338 19,742 31,776 16,683
Iron and steel advanced manufactures 19,780 19,970 27,718 17,655
Total iron and steel and manufactures thereof (not including ferro-alloys, machinery and vehicles). 48,635 65,501 116,996 68,998
NOTE.—The mean quoted rates of exchange for the above-mentioned periods were as follows:

Year 1932 … … … … 3.506 dollars = £1.
Year 1933 … … … … 4.218 dollars = £1.
Year 1934 … … … … 5.038 dollars = £1.
January to July, 1935 … … … … 4.880 dollars = £1.

Mr. RUNCIMAN

A list of the descriptions of iron and steel, the prices of which are used in the compilation of the Board of Trade index number of wholesale prices, was published in the issue of the "Board of Trade Journal" dated 24th January, 1935.

Mr. HOLDSWORTH

asked the President of the Board of Trade, what proportion of British steel production in the year 1934 consisted of remelted scrap; and what proportion consisted of remelted scrap which had been imported?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

According to particulars compiled by the British Iron and Steel Federation, scrap used in the production of steel ingots and castings in 1934 represented about one-half of the materials consumed. Information as to the quantity of such scrap which was imported is not available; the recorded imports in 1934 of iron and steel scrap and waste fit only for the recovery of metal represented about 6 per cent. of the quantity of scrap used.

Mr. HOLDSWORTH

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total value of exports of steel from the United States of America for the years 1932, 1933, and 1934, and for the first nine months of the year 1935?

Mr. RUNCIMAN

The classification of the official export statistics of the United States of America does not permit of the compilation of separate particulars relating to steel as such, but the following table shows the recorded value of exports (domestic produce) of the main classes of iron and steel in the aggregate during the periods specified.