§ 116 and 117. Mr. Warbeyasked the Minister of Supply (1) the maximum output capacity of existing sheet steel plant in the United Kingdom; and what percentage of that capacity is represented by the current monthly output;
(2) whether, in view of a statement circulated on 1st November to all employees of Vauxhall Motors, Limited, Luton, informing them that, owing to the shortage of steel sheets, production of motor vehicles for 1947 will have to be cut by 75 per cent. of the planned output, he is yet in a position to announce an increase in home production of steel sheets or of imports from abroad.
§ Mr. LeonardSheet steel production is at present running at the rate of about 100,000 tons a month, which is an increase over the production rates for recent months and is about 8o per cent. of the estimated maximum capacity of the industry. I fear that there is little or no prospect of obtaining any appreciable relief from imports in the next few months.