§ 70. Mr. Ewartasked the First Lord of the Admiralty the variation in the allocation of steel made in the third quarter to the shipbuilding industry in Sunderland, as compared with the allocations made in the first and second quarter of 1952; and how far this allocation meets the requirements of the industry.
§ Mr. J. P. L. ThomasThe total amount of steel allocated for merchant shipbuilding in the Sunderland area for the third quarter of this year is about 12 per cent. less than the corresponding allocation in the second quarter, and represents approximately 60 per cent. to 65 per cent. of the total demand for steel for merchant ships made by the shipbuilders in the area.
If, however, account is taken of the separate allocation made in the third quarter for certain re-armament contracts on which work is about to begin, the allocation is approximately the same as for the second quarter and only slightly less than that for the first quarter.