Surgeon Lieut-Commander Bennettasked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the total production of red lead over the last convenient year; and under what main headings has it been utilised.
§ Mr. Rhodes:Since the Board of Trade does not receive statistics of production from all makers of red lead, only approximate figures can be given. Production in 1950 is believed to have been about 19,000 tons, of which about 4,000 tons were exported. As regards home consumption, about 35 per cent, is used in electrical batteries, 40 per cent, in paints, 15 per cent, in glass, and the remainder in smaller but important uses including pottery, jointing compounds and cables. About the same rate of production was maintained during the early months of 1951.