asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the steel industry in this country is regarded as important and efficient; and whether it is subjected to serious foreign competition?

As the hon. and gallant Member will be aware from the statement made in the Debate on Monday last by the Minister of Labour, the position of the iron and steel industry has been referred for inquiry to the Civil Research Committee, and I do not think I can usefully make any statement on the subject at this stage.

Does this industry satisfy the requirements to enable it to be considered under the Safeguarding of Industries Act? On whose decision was it that the application did not go forward?

I should say that it is for the purpose of ascertaining that very question that the matter has been referred to the Civil Research Committee.

Will the hon. Member tell us the names of the Civil Research Committee?

I do not know them at the moment.

Captain BENN:

Is it not the duty of the Board of Trade to decide whether or not an industry is important, efficient and subject to severe foreign competition, and, if so, why have not they decided in this case?

Can the hon. Member say when the Civil Research Committee will take this important matter in hand?

It is a Cabinet Committee. It is already appointed, and I should imagine that it will take this important matter in hand without any delay.

We were told the other day that a Committee had refused the application. Can the hon. Member say what Committee have refused this application?

I do not know that any Committee has refused the application. It is at the discretion of the Government to refer a matter of this kind to the Civil Research Committee, and they have done so.

Can the hon. Member say whether in this inquiry the Civil Research Committee are appointing experts to assist them?

Is the rumour true that is being circulated in the House, that the Archbishop of Canterbury is a member of this Committee?

rose—

Any further questions must be put on the Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the quantity, in tons, of steel goods imported into Great Britain during the last completed 12 months for which returns are available?

The quantity of steel goods imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the 12 months ended May, 1925, so far as the particulars are available, was 2,044,730 tons.' This total, however, is inclusive of some manufactures of iron, which are not distinguished in the monthly trade accounts from similar manufactures of steel.

Is it not a fact that, if these steel goods had been manufactured in this country, it would have meant 6,000,000 tons of coal would have been required?

Nine million tons.

Nine million tons?

Can the hon. Member say what proportion of this steel which has been imported has been manufactured by means of coal dumped from. England into the exporting steel countries?

That question cannot be answered without notice. It is a complicated matter.