Mr. Edwardsasked the President of the Board of Trade what would be the total surplus stocks of iron and steel essential in the event of war; and if he can also state what these stocks were at 4th August, 1914?
§ Mr. CrossIt would not be in the public interest to state the expected requirements of iron and steel in an emergency, but I can assure the hon. Member that the Board of Trade are constantly in close touch with the Iron and Steel Federation on the whole subject of supplies for an emergency. The Federation regularly obtain information, which is also confidential, about stocks of pig iron and iron ore at the present time. No information is available about stocks in 1914.