§ 18. Mr. Edwin Wainwrightasked the Secretary of State for Trade how many tons of coal have been imported into the United Kingdom during each of the last five years; how many tons have been contracted for the present year and1980–81; and what was the kind of coal and the price per ton in each case.
§ Mr. ParkinsonWith permission, I will circulate the information in the Official Report.
§ Mr. WainwrightIs the hon. Gentleman aware that in spite of the fact that we are a trading nation the importation of coal will do great harm to the future of the mining industry? When will the Government wake up? Many imports inflict great harm on our traditional industries. They import unemployment.
| Total imports | Coking coal | Steam coal | Anthracite | Gas coal | |||||||
| Thousand tonnes | £* | Thousand tonnes | £* | Thousand tonnes | £* | Thousand tonnes | £* | Thousand tonnes | £* | ||
| 1974 | … | 3,541 | 17.55 | 874 | 25.18 | 2,594 | 14.69 | 73 | 27.63 | — | — |
| 1975 | … | 5,070 | 20.78 | 791 | 30.91 | 4,144 | 18.33 | 135 | 36.77 | — | — |
| 1976 | … | 2,836 | 29.13 | 1,249 | 36.77 | 1,445 | 21.46 | 142 | 40.16 | — | — |
| 1977 | … | 2,439 | 32.53 | 1,180 | 36.45 | 971 | 24.62 | 269 | 44.16 | 18 | 29.43 |
| 1978 | … | 2,352 | 32.75 | 1,374 | 34.56 | 751 | 25.17 | 218 | 46.71 | 9 | 50.60 |
| January-October 1979 | … | 3,141 | 31.60 | 1,753 | 32.24 | 1,195 | 27.91 | 192 | 48.61 | — | — |
§ Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics (SITC/R Sub-group 321.4 and SITC/R2 groups 322.1 and 322.2).
§ Notes:
§ * Average value per tonne, cif.
§ (a) Average values per tonne are not true prices. They reflect differences in the quality and sources of the coal imported, and other factors.
§ (b) It is understood that the electricity generating boards expect to import about 2.6 million tonnes of steam coal in the financial year 1979–80 and 4 million to 5 million tonnes in 1980–81. The British Steel Corporation has announced that 24 per cent. of its coking coal requirements will be imported in 1979, compared with 14 per cent. in 1978. BSC imports in 1980 can be expected to be at least at the level of this year. Plans for imports of anthracite beyond those shown above are not known, nor are import values for later periods.