129. Commander Maitlandasked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he is aware of the difficulty of disposing of waste paper and other salvage; and if his Department are taking the necessary steps to see that this source of raw material is not wasted.
§ Mr. MackesonFor about six months there has been a surplus of waste paper which cannot be disposed of economically because more has been salvaged than the paper and board mills could take at present levels of production. These are much below those of last year.
My noble Friend has been anxious to preserve so far as possible the machinery of collection by local authorities, and I am glad to say that paper mills, waste paper merchants and the local councils themselves have agreed to spread the present reduced consumption as evenly as possible over all the councils which are collecting. There are signs of a revival in the production of board, which in due course should improve the demand 71W for waste paper. There is a good demand for many other kinds of salvage, particularly for kitchen waste and scrap metal.