Mr. De la Bèreasked the Minister of Supply whether his attention has been drawn to the agreement which was made by the British Iron and Steel Federation with the four big iron- and steel-scrap merchanting firms which are paid 1s. a ton on all scrap delivered to the British steel industry whether they have handled the scrap or not; and whether, since the point of this agreement was to prevent in peace-time the export of scrap to potential enemies, the agreement will now be terminated, in view of the powers which the Government obtained preventing scrap being exported?
§ Sir A. DuncanThe main purpose of the agreement to which my hon. Friend refers was not, as he suggests, to prevent the export of scrap, but to organise the supply of scrap to steelworks in this country on a fair and equitable basis. The steel industry is satisfied that the services which the agency firms have rendered and are rendering under the agreement result in the saving of large sums of money and I see no reason to disturb the arrangement.