June 28, 1952 (21st Parliament, 6th Session)

Right Hon. C. D. Howe (Minister of Defence Production):

Mr. Speaker, speaking for the Department of Trade and Commerce, every encouragement has been given to provide purchasers in the United Kingdom with dollars. The sterling trade committee has been active in promoting purchases in the United Kingdom, and I think some success is following their efforts.
So far as the Department of Defence Production is concerned, orders were placed in the United Kingdom last year, that is in the fiscal year 1951-52, to the order of about $45 million, and the results of the last three months indicate that the orders placed in the United Kingdom will be considerably higher in the fiscal year 1952-53.
I might point out, however, that purchasing in the United Kingdom depends a great deal upon availability, and to date we have found it rather difficult to obtain there the materials, equipment and machinery that we need for defence production.