§ Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for Energy how much money it cost the National Coal Board to break the long-term contracts for the import of coal, in view of the present coal stocks in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. EadieI understand that the NCB has no long-term contracts to import coal. Contracts to import coal and coking coal have been entered into by the Central Electricity Generating Board and the British Steel Corporation. No figures are available for the cost of breaking these contracts. I am advised by the CEGB that it has recently decided not to take up options to import 1½ million tons of coal in 1976–77.
§ Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for Energy if any of the coal imported into the United Kingdom is of such a type or grade that it cannot be produced in the United Kingdom, in sufficient quantities.
§ Mr. EadieI understand that the British Steel Corporation's imports are almost all to supplement the highest quality coking coals which are not available in the United Kingdom in sufficient quantity to meet the Corporation's needs. The Corporation and the NCB meet regularly to discuss BSC's coal requirements and the need for future imports.
Limited quantities of anthracite for the domestic market are also being imported to meet a temporary deficiency.
§ Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will give the total coal tonnages imported into the United Kingdom in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, and 1975, respectively; from which countries they came; what was the price per ton; if any of the imports were on long-term contracts; and what were the terms;
(2) what was the total tonnage of coal exported from the United Kingdom in the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974 229W and 1975, respectively; at what price per ton; and to which countries.
§ Mr. EadieDetails of imports and exports of coal, by country of origin and destination, together with average values
IMPORTS (c.i.f.) 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 January-November 1975 Thousand tons Members of European Economic Community: Belgium … … 1 12 37 33 2 [...] France … … — — 33 3 1 — Germany, Western … … 1 128 224 187 70 34 Irish Republic … … 8 20 87 25 10 37 Netherlands … … 64 97 227 42 23 31 Total … … 74 257 608 290 106 108 Australia … … — 1,522 1,059 294 983 2,310 Canada … … — 19 1 — — 342 Poland … … — 84 659 90 681 91 Republic of South Africa … 1 — 49 6 — 22 United States of America … 3 2,292 2,535 959 1,649 1,676 Other countries … … — — 8 10 72 25 Total Imports … … 78 4,174 4,919 1,649 3,491 4,574
£ thousand Value of Imports … … 908 39,305 49,067 21,355 62,053 95,049 £ Average per ton … … 11.67 9.42 9.97 12.95 17.78 20.78
EXPORTS (f.o.b.) 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 January-November 1975 Thousand tons Members of European Economic Community: Belgium and Luxembourg … 110 81 60 143 357 402 Denmark … … 25 17 3 2 — 5 France … … 541 550 385 499 571 673 Germany, Western … … 1,419 1,469 989 1,582 360 344 Irish Republic … … 148 136 93 112 111 160 Italy … … 275 156 35 42 62 17 Netherlands … … 374 52 54 124 188 204 Total … … 2,892 2,461 1,619 2,504 1,649 1,805
Countries participating in European Free Trade Area: Norway … … 134 127 68 82 98 111 Portugal … … 47 18 10 15 13 7 Sweden … … 60 28 18 29 35 50 Switzerland … … — — — — — — Total … … 241 173 96 126 146 168 All other countries … … 176 18 6 21 41 22 Total Exports … … 3,309 2,652 1,721 2,651 1,836 1,995 230W
£ thousand Value of exports: Total … … 17,547 13,238 9,699 15,198 20,785 33,031 £ Average per ton … … 5.30 4.99 5.64 5.73 11.32 16.56 per ton for the years 1970–1974 and for the 11 months ending November 1975–the latest information available—are as follows. The terms and conditions of contracts are commercial matters for the importing industries.