§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will bring up to date the information given in his reply dated 23 December 1981, Official Report, c. 461, to the hon. Member for Grimsby, concerning steelmaking capacity and production in whatever detail is available to him, together with information from European Community sources or elsewhere showing what reductions in steel-making capacity have been made in the European Community and what has been announced by way of future closures.
§ Mr. ButcherThe statistical information as is readily available is given in the following table. On the remainder of the question, in respect of the United Kingdom, the Government are considering the British Steel Corporation's corporate plan for 1983–86 and will make a statement as soon as possible. For other countries of the Community, the detailed information available is confidential. It shows, however, that certain member states are now facing up to the need for significant cuts in capacity.
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Crude Steel Million tonnes Production Effective capacity 1973 *1982 1973 †l982 USSR 131.5 147.5 ‡ ‡ Japan 119.3 99.5 133.6 ‡ USA 136.8 65.7 ‡ 137.5 China 25.2 37.0 ‡ ‡ West Germany 49.5 35.9 58.8 67.7 Italy 21.0 24.0 28.1 39.8 France 25.3 18.4 28.1 29.6 Poland 14.1 15.0 ‡ ‡ Czechoslovakia 13.2 15.0 ‡ ‡ United Kingdom 26.7 13.8 29.8 25.2
Production Effective capacity 1973 *1982 1973 †l982 Spain 10.8 13.2 13.0 17.4 Romania 8.2 13.0 ‡ ‡ Brazil 7.1 13.0 ‡ ‡ Canada 13.4 11.9 14.1 20.3 Republic of Korea 1.2 11.8 ‡ ‡ India 6.9 11.0 ‡ ‡ Belgium 15.5 9.9 17.3 19.1 The countries shown are those included in the earlier reply together with two others—Republic of Korea and India—where steel production exceeded 10 million tonnes in 1982. Sources: International Iron and Steel Institute. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe. OECD "The Iron and Steel Industry". * Provisional. † Estimated. ‡ Not readily available, if at all.