Oral Answers to Questions — Agriculture – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 9 June 1947.
The following Question stood upon the Order Paper in the name of Mr. YORK:48. To ask the Minister of Agriculture if he will obtain an increased allocation of steel for the agricultural industry for the second quarter of 1947, as he is aware that the makers of tractors, machinery equipment and spare parts and also structural engineers working on agricultural buidings are either slowed down or at a standstill through shortage of steel.
Mr Christopher York
, Ripon
Mr. Speaker, may I draw your attention to an error in this Question? It should read "the second half of 1947" instead of "quarter."
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
I am well aware of the needs of the industry, but, in view of the general steel supply situation, it has not been found possible to increase the allo- cation of steel at the disposal of my Department for the second quarter of this year.
Mr Christopher York
, Ripon
Is it not a fact that unless the Minister of Agriculture pushes this case, agriculture will not get more steel, and will he undertake to push all he can for a higher allocation?
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
I assure the hon. Gentleman that I am one of many Ministers who are pushing for steel.
Mr Reginald Manningham-Buller
, Daventry
Can the right hon. Gentleman at least give an assurance that when steel for agricultural machinery arrives in this country, it will not be sent back again?
Mr Walter Elliot
, Combined Scottish Universities
Does the right hon. Gentleman concur in the decision by which agricultural machinery was sent back to the United States, in view of the position which he has just mentioned?
Mr. Baker White:
asked the Minister of Agriculture what arrangements he has made with agricultural machinery manufacturers, in view of the much lowered output in February and March, to give priority to the urgent needs of home food producers for tractors and other farm machinery, thus implementing the undertaking given to them.
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
in order to assist farmers with this year's urgent tasks, agricultural machinery manufacturers have co-operated by directing a larger volume of machinery into the home market during the last two or three months. In consequence, the estimated average value of the machinery going to the home market increased from £92,000 a day in January, 1947, to £100,000 a day in March and £131,000 a day in April.
Mr. Baker White:
Is the Minister aware that, while the home production of agricultural machinery fell from about £3,480,000 worth in January to £2,520,000 in February, the exports of tractors in the first four months of the year increased by over 3,000 tons, as compared with those in the same period of last year, and that the exports of all farming machinery in the first four months of this year were £835,000 worth greater than in the same period of last year?
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman is not aware that exports of agricultural machinery fell from £24,000 day in January to £19,000 a day in April.
Mr Morgan Price
, Forest of Dean
Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the need to see that there is a sufficient supply of spare parts for the existing machinery, let alone the new?
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
Yes, as fast as we can persuade the manufacturers to produce spare parts, we are doing so.
Mr Quintin Hogg
, Oxford
Does the re-export figure the right hon. Gentleman gave include the figures of the re-exports in the s.s. "Eucadia"?
Mr. Baldwin:
Would the Minister consider making application to his colleagues to stop the exportation of all agricultural machinery as long as there is a demand for it in this country?
Mr Thomas Williams
, Don Valley
No, Sir.
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