Mr Paul Williams: asked the Minister of Supply (1) what percentage of heavy machinery scrap is being delivered to ironfoundries in the North-East, compared with pre-war years; (2) if he is aware that the scrap being delivered to ironfoundries in the North-East is often of inferior quality; and what measures he intends to take to alter this state of affairs; (3) whether he is aware of the shortage of scrap...
Mr Paul Williams: Is my right hon. Friend aware that a quantity of this scrap is becoming available from Her Majesty's dockyards, and will he consult his right hon. Friend to see whether it can be made available to the ironfoundries in the North-East?
Mr Paul Williams: Is my right hon. Friend aware that the Wear shipbuilders appear to be well satisfied with the initial moves of the inter-Departmental committee, but can he say whether the deliveries of imported steel plate are to be subtracted from the allocations of home steel plate?
Mr Paul Williams: I hope the House will forgive me for intruding on what has become, for all practical purposes, a family affair limited to a small number of Members. I hope I shall be allowed to follow some of the remarks made by the right hon. Member for Llanelly (Mr. J. Griffiths). I hope I do not trespass on the time of the House in doing this, but, first, I should like to pay a small and, perhaps,...
Mr Paul Williams: It is with a certain amount of trepidation that I enter this debate on the Council of Europe as I have never had the privilege of being either an official observer or a Representative. However, I had the privilege of being at the Council of Europe in a very outside capacity and I should like to make some comments. I would follow the hon Member for Stockton-on-Tees (Mr. Chetwynd) only a very...
Mr Paul Williams: asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to provide alternative employment for the 1,000 girls who are to become unemployed in Sunderland as the result of the closing of a clothing factory.
Mr Paul Williams: Has my right hon. and learned Friend had any conversations with North Eastern Trading Estates with a view to them taking over this factory?
Mr Paul Williams: asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps his Department is taking to encourage industry to occupy unused factory space in Sunderland.
Mr Paul Williams: Can my right hon. Friend tell us whether these are cancellations of bookings or cancellations of orders? There is a great difference between the two.
Mr Paul Williams: asked the First Lord of the Admiralty to make a statement regarding an increase of supplies of steel plate to the shipbuilding industry.
Mr Paul Williams: While thanking my right hon. Friend for that answer, may I ask him how it is possible for his Department to advise shipbuilders to approach stockists for steel plate when the House is under the impression that the Inter-Departmental Committee is the committee dealing with the allocation scheme?
Mr Paul Williams: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a further statement with regard to the reopening of discussions on the oil situation with the Persian Government.
Mr Paul Williams: While thanking my right hon. and learned Friend wholeheartedly for the statement he has just made, may I ask him to clear up the point of compensation, and also to say what developments are being considered in relation to Persian assets presently held in the Bank of England?
Mr Paul Williams: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many ships of what nationality have been stopped in the Suez Canal in 1953.
Mr Paul Williams: Are we to understand that no obstacles at all were put in the way of international shipping during 1953?
Mr Paul Williams: asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what requests for assistance have been made to his Department recently by firms wishing to move to the Trading Estate in Sunderland; and with what results.
Mr Paul Williams: Is my right hon. Friend aware of the need for a sense of urgency in this matter, as I believe the firm which applied to the Development Areas Treasury Advisory Committee is in fact a clothing firm which can take over labour released from the previous factory?
Mr Paul Williams: asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what representations he has made to Egypt to ensure that all existing facilities are available for ships passing through the Suez Canal.
Mr Paul Williams: Is my right hon. and learned Friend aware that the withdrawal of facilities in the Canal itself is placing an unnecessary burden on shipping, both British and international?
Mr Paul Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the recent conference held in Nigeria.