HL Deb 23 May 1974 vol 351 cc1676-8WA
LORD CHAMPION

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will give details of the procedure they are following in reviewing the closure proposals of the British Steel Corporation.

LORD BESWICK

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Industry requested the British Steel Corporation, immediately on taking Office, to suspend all proposed closures of steel works that were implicit in the development strategy agreed by the previous Government. He is now conducting a review of these closures. He has given primary responsibility for conducting the review to me and I shall undertake the necessary consultations before final decisions are taken. The Secretary of State will, of course, proceed in the closest cooperation with the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales.

The Secretary of State and I have now discussed and agreed with the British Steel Corporation and the T.U.C. Steel Committee the procedure for undertaking the review. It has been agreed that the closures should be reviewed case by case. Apart from two imminent closures, namely, at Stanton and at Irlam, where ad hoc procedures have been followed, the review of each closure will begin by a tripartite meeting consisting of representatives of the British Steel Corporation of the T.U.C. Steel Committee, including local trade union representatives designated by the Committee, and of the Government. After this initial meeting, and while each side is considering the points at issue, I shall consult local M.P.s, local authorities and other appropriate bodies who have made representations to the Government. A further tripartite meeting will, if necessary, then take place following which the Secretary of State would hope to reach a decision on each closure proposal. Representatives of the Scottish Office and of the Welsh Office would be wholly associated with the discussions in respect of proposed closures in these areas.

In considering the order of cases for review, priority will be given to closures whose dates are relatively imminent and to those which are implicit in B.S.C. investment projects now before us for approval. We have agreed with the Corporation and the T.U.C. Steel Committee that the proposed closures should be considered in the following order: Hartlepool iron and steel making and Cleveland iron making; Workington; Ebbw Vale; East Moors; Shelton and Bilston; Shotton; the Scottish Closures; the proposed Redcar Plate Mill Development and associated closures; other closures in England.

In the course of the review the Secretary of State will look into the possibility of raising B.S.C's long-term production target and at the possibility of other changes in B.S.C.'s general strategy providing for improvements to or alternative Corporation activities at plants now proposed for closure. But one of the main emphasis in the review will have to be on the provision of alternative job opportunities. He therefore proposes to continue work on this while the review is going on. He will aim for the maximum of consultation with those affected and will provide the necessary information to enable the outcome of the review to be properly assessed.

House adjourned, for the Whitsun Recess, at two minutes before six o'clock, until Monday, June 10, 1974.