§ Mr. de Rothschildasked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the many criticisms levelled recently at the operations of the British Iron and Steel Federation and at the decision of that body to maintain iron and steel prices at the present levels throughout the year 1938; whether he is aware of the widespread concern among iron- and steel-using industries at that decision; whether he can state the authority under which the tariff advisory committee approved that decision; and whether he will publish as a White Paper the correspondence between the federation and the committee in which the committee's approval was requested and granted?
§ Captain WallaceThe Import Duties Advisory Committee have recently been consulted by the British Iron and Steel Federation in regard to changes in the578W prices of the main iron and steel products in accordance with the recommendation in paragraph 87 of the report of the Import Duties Advisory Committee on the Present Position and Future Development of the Iron and Steel Industry. I am informed that in the view of the committee the stabilisation of prices over a definite period at their existing level, despite the increases in cost of materials and fuel, is in the general interest of the using industries. With regard to the last part of the question, I understand that the Federation's proposals were submitted in the course of discussions and were not embodied in official letters, while the formal letters sent by the Import Duties Advisory Committee merely record their concurrence following such discussions.