§ 62. Mr. Nabarroasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the Government's policy in regard to exports of tinplate during 1952; and what priority in the supply of tinplate will be accorded to the fruit and vegetable growing interests in the United Kingdom in 1952.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerWe shall continue to export enough tinplate to meet the minimum demands of the Commonwealth countries and of those countries on whom we are dependent for essential supplies of food and raw materials. In view of the additional capacity now coming into production, the factor limiting total supplies of tinplate in 1952 will be the shortage of steel. I cannot at present say more than that in the first quarter of 1952 supplies of tinplate for essential home uses, including fruit and vegetable canning, will be at approximately the same level as in the last quarter of 1951.