HC Deb 13 October 1975 vol 897 cc848-9
15. Sir A. Meyer

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to make a statement about the future of steel making at BSC Shotton.

18. Mr. Wigley

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now make a statement on the future of Shotton Steel Works.

Mr. Kaufman

An announcement will be made as soon as the Government have completed their consideration of all the issues involved.

Sir A. Meyer

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the statistics on which the British Steel Corporation bases its case for transferring Shotton's steel-making capacity to Port Talbot have now been utterly discredited? If the BSC relies not on those discredited figures but on the fact that Shotton is too far removed from deep water to merit further expansion, when, none the less, both strike-torn Llanwern and Scunthorpe are much further from deep water, what possible justification is there for the Government's endorsing this aspect of BSC strategy?

Mr. Kaufman

I read the hon. Gentleman's interesting letter in The Times to this effect the other day. These are matters which are being taken into account in considering this problem, but we must remember that under the previous administration's White Paper Shotton's iron and steel making was due to close in the second half of this decade. I seem to recall that the hon. Gentleman voted for that White Paper.

Mr. Wigley

Is the Minister aware that if a full social costing of this project were undertaken it would be found that the cost of keeping the works open and the cost of closing it were not much different, and that the benefit which would come from keeping it open would give additional steel capacity which might be needed in times of expansion? Will he give favourable and early consideration to a definite announcement that the works will be kept open?

Mr. Kaufman

The matters which both hon. Members have mentioned are arguable. It is because we need to consider matters like this and all other relevant considerations that we are waiting until the right decision is made rather than hurrying into any decision.