§ 24. Sir C. Osborneasked the Minister of Power, in view of the fact that the steel industry's total capacity for 1963 will be 30¼ million tons, and production is likely to be only 21 million tons, what action he proposes to take to help the industry, especially regarding the import of low-priced billets, which have risen from a monthly average of 1,200 tons in the first half of 1962, to 20,100 tons for October, and which come free of import duty, mostly from Commonwealth sources; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. WoodThe measures taken by Her Majesty's Government to assist the expansion of the economy are expected to increase the demand for steel. The British Iron and Steel Federation has had preliminary discussions with the Board of Trade about alleged dumped imports of billets, but no formal application for anti-dumping action has been made.