48. Mr. Baker Whiteasked the Minister for Economic Affairs in view of the acute shortage of steel, which existing priority for steel will be reduced or cancelled in order to implement the undertaking to grant a steel priority for agricultural machinery manufacture.
§ Mr. MarquandI have been asked to reply. The existing priority system is at present under review. In the meantime, however, savings in the use of steel will follow from the cuts in the investment programme announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Economic Affairs, and the Government also looks for increased production of steel in the forthcoming year. But apart from the question of priority, steps have already been taken to ensure that manufacturers of agricultural machinery receive allocations of steel commensurate with their increased requirements.