§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Power how many blast furnaces producing pig iron are due to close in 1968.
§ Mr. MarshI have at present no information about further closures of blast furnace plant in prospect in 1968, apart from the Renishaw Iron Works.
§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Power whether he will introduce a Bill to relieve the social costs created by the closure of blast furnaces as a result of the rationalisation of the steel industry.
§ Mr. MarshNo. The social implications of closures are taken into account
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UNITED KINGDOM IMPORTS OF PIG IRON* Thousand tons COMMONWEALTH Australia 1.0 0.8 1.2 12.6 0.5 Canada 15.4 77.8 29.5 18.8 10.3 Malawi, Rhodesia and Zambia 4.0 — — — — TOTAL 20.4 78.6 30.7 31.4 10.8 EUROPE E.C.S.C.:— Belgium-Luxembourg 0.1 — — — — Western Germany 22.7 24.5 0.6 1.9 — Netherlands 7.2 8.5 — 10.0 6.2 TOTAL 30.0 33.0 0.6 11.9 6.2 E.F.T.A.:— Norway 77.9 57.7 61.8 78.8 69.2 Sweden 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 TOTAL 78.0 57.9 61.9 78.9 69.3 Czechoslovakia — — — 19.5 — Finland 24.8 77.4 99.9 111.6 100.1 Eastern Germany 0.5 55.7 91.2 35.4 21.2 Hungary 6.6 12.0 — — — Soviet Union 24.3 16.8 27.6 40.3 35.7 Spain 4.1 — 3.6 6.0 — TOTAL EUROPE 168.3 252.8 284.8 303.6 232.5 Republic of South Africa 0.5 4.4 1.6 50.2 23.2 ALL COUNTRIES 189.2 335.8 317.1 385.2 266.5 *Includes small quantities of refined iron (not made in Blast-furnaces amounting in 1967 to 270 tons. by the British Steel Corporation in consultation with the authorities concerned.
§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Power whether he will take steps to set up machinery for the closure of blast furnaces, similar to those operating for closures in the coal industry, which will take into consideration the employment position in the area in which the closure takes place.
§ Mr. MarshI am discussing with the British Steel Corporation the machinery for consultation about closures with a view to securing the best possible arrangements.