asked the Minister of Supply why stocks of zinc oxide in the United Kingdom are in excess of requirements.

There has been no restriction on the supply of zinc oxide to the home market because of its importance as an industrial raw material. The position is being examined, but present indications are that there is not a general surplus.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say why the director of non-ferrous metals has refused permission to one of my constituents to export to Egypt 25 tons of zinc oxide which he is unable to sell in this country?

We do not want to encourage exports of this material, because it is a dollar raw material and the conversion value is so low that we have limited the export to a small amount.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that the 25 tons of zinc oxide were lying idle and that if he will not let them be exported they cannot be sold at all?

They will be sold before very long. If there was a surplus of zinc oxide, then the thing to do would be to limit the supply of zinc to the zinc oxide makers.