§ Mr. P. Robertsasked the President of the Board of Trade the annual quantity of plate tin exported during the year ended 31st December, 1951, or to the most convenient date, specifying the quantities and the countries of destination, and also the proposed export of tinplate for the similar period of 1952 together with the quantities and the countries of destination.
17W
§ Mr. P. ThorneycroftThe Trade and Navigation Accounts show that the total amount of tinplate exported in the year ended 31st December, 1951, was 239,663 tons distributed as follows:
Tons British West Africa 2,486 Union of South Africa 12,405 British East Africa 3,871 India 13,248 Pakistan 10,925 Malaya 12,124 Australia 64,622 New Zealand 15,814 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan 3,464 Other Commonwealth Countries 9,497 Total Commonwealth, including Colonies 148,456 Irish Republic 1,159 Norway 1,975 Denmark 6,919 Netherlands 5,831 Spain 178 Egypt 3,906 Iran 5,874 Brazil 5,318 Uruguay 4,237 Argentine Republic 27,853 Other Foreign Countries 27,957 Total 239,663 These figures include quantities of tinplate, amounting in all to about 60,000 tons for the essential needs of British oil companies operating overseas. They do not, however, include exports of tinplate in the form of flattened cans: these are not shown separately in the Accounts, but they amounted, I understand, to some 7,000 tons.
It is expected that direct exports of tinplate, including exports in the form of flattened cans, but excluding supplies for oil companies, will amount in 1952 to about 250,000 tons. Of this quantity about 170,000 tons is likely to go to Commonwealth countries, including the Colonies. Of the remainder, nearly one-third will go to European countries with which we have bilateral trade agreements under which we get supplies of scarce and essential raw materials. The balance will be sent to a number of other countries, as in 1951, largely to be used for packing essential foodstuffs for import into this country.