Iron and Steel (Imports and Exports) (Hansard, 13 February 1964)

§ Mr. O'Malley
asked the Minister of Power if he will state the total value and net balance of payments from direct 93W exports of iron and steel products and from the sum of direct imports of raw materials for the iron and steel industry and direct imports of iron and steel products for 1937, 1938, and from 1952 to 1962, respectively.

§ Mr. Erroll
The information is as follows:

UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL, INCLUDING STEELMAKING MATERIALS

— Exports^* Imports† Net Exports

£,000 £,000 £,000

Years

1937 34,507 28,438 6,069

1938 27,863 22,025 5,838

1952 121,633 179,303 -57,670

1953 128,315 138,694 -10,379

1954 124,328 101,749 22,579

1955 143,632 184,041 -40,409

1956 156,395 204,713 -48,318

1957 199,590 184,526 15,064

1958 179,735 115,513 64,222

1959 187,447 103,139 84,308

1960 198,156 182,029 16,127

1961 192,875 112,279 80,596

1962 197,651 106,821 90,830

^* Exports of scrap, pig-iron and steel products.

† Imports of iron and manganese ore, scrap, pig-iron and steel products.

MAN-HOURS WORKED AND OUTPUT IN THE IRON AND STEEL MAKING AND ROLLING PROCESSES^*

Estimated man-hours worked Output Output per man-hour

Ingot† steel Finished steel "Weighted"‡

(million) (million tons) (Index)

1954 … … … … 469 18.0 13.7 100 100

1955 … … … … 480 19.2 14.6 106 104

1956 … … … … 492 20.1 15.3 112 107

1957 … … … … 500 21.1 16.0 118 111

1958 … … … … 473 18.7 13.6 107 106

1959 … … … … 461 19.7 14.8 109 109

1960 … … … … 504 23.7 18.0 132 123

1961 … … … … 497 21.5 16.3 121 114

1962 … … … … 466 20.0 15.3 114 115

1963 (p) … … … … 467 22.0 16.7 124 125

^* Excluding tube making, forging, casting and iron ore mining.

(p) Provisional.

† i.e. crude steel output excluding metal for castings.

‡ Output of different products weighted according to the number of man-hours per ton needed to produce them in American plant: U.S.A. Department of Labour" Man-hours per unit of output in the basic steel industry 1939–55".

On the basis of the index shown in the last column of the table, the average annual increase in productivity was 2.4 per cent. from 1954 to 1963. Productivity in the fourth quarter of 1963 was, however, much higher than the average for the year as a whole and the corresponding average annual rate of growth of output per man-hour from 1954 to the end of 1963 would be about 3.5 per cent.

94W

§ Mr. O'Malley
asked the Minister of Power if he will state the total tonnages, values and average prices per ton for 1937 and 1938 and from 1952 to 1963 of United Kingdom exports of iron and steel products, showing separately plates, sheets, tinplate and tubes, and distinguishing in the last case those of large diameter.

§ Mr. Erroll
As the answer is long and contains a great number of figures I will write to the hon. Member about it.

UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF IRON AND STEEL, INCLUDING STEELMAKING MATERIALS
—	Exports^*	Imports†	Net Exports
	£,000	£,000	£,000
Years
1937	34,507	28,438	6,069
1938	27,863	22,025	5,838
1952	121,633	179,303	-57,670
1953	128,315	138,694	-10,379
1954	124,328	101,749	22,579
1955	143,632	184,041	-40,409
1956	156,395	204,713	-48,318
1957	199,590	184,526	15,064
1958	179,735	115,513	64,222
1959	187,447	103,139	84,308
1960	198,156	182,029	16,127
1961	192,875	112,279	80,596
1962	197,651	106,821	90,830
^* Exports of scrap, pig-iron and steel products.
† Imports of iron and manganese ore, scrap, pig-iron and steel products.

MAN-HOURS WORKED AND OUTPUT IN THE IRON AND STEEL MAKING AND ROLLING PROCESSES^*
	Estimated man-hours worked	Output	Output per man-hour
	Ingot† steel	Finished steel	"Weighted"‡
	(million)	(million tons)	(Index)
1954	…	…	…	…	469	18.0	13.7	100	100
1955	…	…	…	…	480	19.2	14.6	106	104
1956	…	…	…	…	492	20.1	15.3	112	107
1957	…	…	…	…	500	21.1	16.0	118	111
1958	…	…	…	…	473	18.7	13.6	107	106
1959	…	…	…	…	461	19.7	14.8	109	109
1960	…	…	…	…	504	23.7	18.0	132	123
1961	…	…	…	…	497	21.5	16.3	121	114
1962	…	…	…	…	466	20.0	15.3	114	115
1963 (p)	…	…	…	…	467	22.0	16.7	124	125
^* Excluding tube making, forging, casting and iron ore mining.
(p) Provisional.
† i.e. crude steel output excluding metal for castings.
‡ Output of different products weighted according to the number of man-hours per ton needed to produce them in American plant: U.S.A. Department of Labour" Man-hours per unit of output in the basic steel industry 1939–55".
On the basis of the index shown in the last column of the table, the average annual increase in productivity was 2.4 per cent. from 1954 to 1963. Productivity in the fourth quarter of 1963 was, however, much higher than the average for the year as a whole and the corresponding average annual rate of growth of output per man-hour from 1954 to the end of 1963 would be about 3.5 per cent.