HC Deb 04 April 1963 vol 675 cc75-6W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Minister of Power if, in view of the approval by the European Coal and Steel Community of co-operative arrangements between steel companies to avoid duplication of plant, machinery and equipment, he is prepared to stimulate, through his control of the Iron and Steel Board's investment programme, further collaboration with certain sections of the British steel industry.

Mr. Wood

It is the Iron and Steel Board's statutory duty to exercise a general supervision over the iron and steel industry, with a view to promoting the efficient economic and adequate supply under competitive conditions of iron and steel products. This calls for the avoidance of wasteful duplication, and the case described on page 23 of its Annual Report for 1959 shows that the Board has this point of view very much in mind.