HC Deb 17 January 1974 vol 867 cc148-9W
Mr. Meacher

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is Great Britain's current level of consumption of, respectively, iron, lead, tungsten, copper, potassium, sulphur, phosphorus, aluminium, chromium, manganese, nickel, tin and zinc ; what percentage of this consumption is, respectively, imported and indigenous; and what, from information available, are the comparable figures for USA, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium. Japan and South Africa.

Mr. Anthony Grant

The information for six non-ferrous metals is shown in the table below.

United Kingdom consumption of pig iron in 1972 was 15.6 million metric tons, less than 2 per cent. of which was imported.

United Kingdom consumption of sulphur in all forms in 1972 was 1,203.5

CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION OF SELECTED COMMODITIES, 1972
Refined Lead Refined Copper
Consumption (thousand metrictons) Indigenous production as percentage of consumption Consumption (thousand metrictons) Indigenous production as percentage of consumption
United Kingdom 278 97 525 34
USA 983 77 2,027 101
France 202 93 390 8
Germany, Federal Republic 274 100 672 59
Italy 186 37 283 3
Netherlands 41 59 37
Belgium 48 193 153 205
Japan 231 97 954 85
South Africa (including South West Africa) 26 253 47 167
Primary Aluminium Nickel
Consumption (thousand metrictons) Indigenous production as percentage of consumption Consumption (thousand metrictons) Indigenous production as percentage of consumption
United Kingdom 410 42 30 106
USA 4,296 87 145 11
France 398 99 38 35
Germany, Federal Republic 724 61 43
Italy 304 49 21
Netherlands 79 205 1
Belgium 201 3
Japan 1,193 85 83 95
South Africa (including South West Africa) 60 88 N.A. N.A.
Refined Tin Slab Zinc
Consumption (thousand metrictons) Indigenous production as percentage of consumption Consumption (thousand metrictons) Indigenous production as percentage of consumption
United Kingdom 18 147 277 27
USA 57 12 1,286 50
France 11 264 100
Germany, Federal Republic 16 15 413 87
Italy 8 203 77
Netherlands 5 37 130
Belgium 4 91 139 183
Japan 33 5 660 122
South Africa (including South West Africa) 2 67 55 86
* Including refined nickel, the nickel content of ferro-nickel oxide and nickel fonte.
†United Kingdom consumption of refined nickel only.

Source: World Metal Statistics.