§ Sir P. Hannonasked the Minister of Supply whether he will state the precise functions of the iron and steel control of his Ministry; and whether he is aware that in reply to inquiries for raw material to fill orders for the export trade the Department replied that supplies to implement orders must be left in the hands of those accepting the orders?
§ Mr. BurginThe functions of the Iron and Steel Control are to exercise control over the industry in order that national requirements may be met, to deal with60W any difficulties arising, e.g., in regard to supply of raw materials, and to administer the Orders which I have made under the Defence Regulations in order to meet these objects.
With regard to the latter part of my hon. Friend's question, he will appreciate that under the present Iron and Steel Control Order and Direction issued thereunder, purchases of iron and steel for the main essential national requirements are exempted from control by licence. In granting licences to consumers not covered by this exemption, the Controller has due regard to the supply position. It must be left to the individual supplier to fit in the actual execution of an order for which a licence has been granted to the programme of orders within the exempted categories. The general policy is to allow business to continue through normal channels, and district officers and liaison officers have been appointed for the purpose of assisting in cases where any undue delay in delivery occurs.
§ Sir P. Hannonasked the Minister of Supply whether his attention has been called to the increasing number of inquiries from British Dominions, the Colonial Empire and neutral countries for iron, steel, non-ferrous metals and chemicals, and the difficulties with which manufacturers are faced in accepting orders from want of raw material; and whether an effort will be made to meet requirements as far as may be consistent with the needs of the armament programme?
§ Mr. BurginI can assure my hon. Friend that the Government are fully seized of the importance of maintaining our export trade in the fullest possible volume, subject to Defence requirements. Supplies of raw materials should, in general, be available, though in certain directions a temporary shortage may occur. In cases where materials are controlled, I have already instructed controllers and their staffs to make every effort to allocate supplies where it appears to them that the supplies are required for the manufacture of goods for export.