§ 70. Mr. N. Macphersonasked the Minister of Agriculture what action he is taking to ensure that the supply of spares for agricultural machinery used in this country is improved.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsThe larger allocations of iron and steel now being given to manufacturers should lead to increased production of home-produced spares as well as complete machines, and manufacturers have been asked to give absolute priority to spare parts as far as possible and to make every effort to enable dealers to lay in modest stocks of parts in greatest use. So far as imported parts are concerned we shall continue to make full dollar provision for all spares required for Canadian and United States machinery. Supplies of these are now improving.
§ 71. Mr. N. Macphersonasked the Minister of Agriculture what were the allocations of steel for the manufacture of agricultural machinery and spares in 1946 and 1947; and what allocation has been made for 1948.
§ Mr. T. WilliamsI am afraid I am not in a position to disclose the actual tonnages of steel allocations. I can assure the hon. Member, however, that the total allocations made to manufacturers of agricultural machinery and spares in 1947 were greater than those made in 1946. Final allocations have yet to be made for the last six months of 1948, but those made for the first six months are nearly as great as the allocations for the whole of 1947.