§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy when will the first plant utilising direct reduction techniques in steel production be operational; and what is the anticipated capacity of the plant.
§ Mr. MeacherI have been asked to reply.
The British Steel Corporation intends to build a plant with a capacity of at least 400,000 tonnes per annum at Hunterston, and private sector steel companies are also considering an 800,000 tonnes per annum plant there. The BSC plant will take about three years to build and is now expected to come into operation during 1977.