asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of pig-iron imported into the United Kingdom in 1880 and in 1929; what was the quantity of pig-iron produced in this country in the same two years; and whether it would have been possible for this country to have produced that pig-iron without imported iron-ore?

The quantity of pig-iron and ferro-alloys imported and retained in the United Kingdom in 1880 was 58,000 tons, and in 1929 153,000 tons; the production in the United Kingdom in the same years was 7,749,000 tons and 7,580,000 tons respectively. The metal equivalent of the unexhausted iron-ore deposits of the United Kingdom exceeded the total of production and imports in these years; but, of course, many other factors enter into a consideration of the practicability of the exclusive use of home-produced ore.

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell us what Mr. Gladstone said about this in 1880?

asked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated average amount of coal used in the production of one ton of pig iron and of one ton of steel, respectively

I understand that, according to the estimates of the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers, on the average, about two tons of coal are consumed in the production of a ton of pig iron and three tons in the production of a ton of finished steel.