§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the value of requests submitted by Her Majesty's Government for loan assistance from the European Communities for modernisation and reconversion projects in the British steel industry since January 1975 until the latest available date.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldApplications for reconversion loans from the European Coal and Steel Community under Article 56 of the Treaty of Paris and for modernisation loans under Article 54 of the54W Treaty are not submitted by Her Majesty's Government but directly to the Commission by the firms concerned, although Her Majesty's Government are consulted by the Commission at a later stage about individual applications. Details of actual loans approved were given in a Written Reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, lichen (Mr. Mitchell) and published in Hansard—[Vol. 914, c. 263–6]—of 1st July 1976. This information can be updated when required.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the production of steel in each Member country of the EEC for 1975, expressing the production in millions of tons.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldFollowing is the information:
CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION 1975 million tonnes United Kingdom … … 20.2* Belgium … … 11.6 Denmark … … 0.6 France … … 21.5 Germany … … 40.4 Ireland … … — Italy … … 21.8 Luxembourg … … 4.6 Netherlands … … 4.8 * Figues refer to a period of 53 weeks. Source: OECD.