§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total volume of steel imported from the European Economic Community and from the rest of the world, respectively, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available and in each of the previous nine years.
§ Mr. FletcherThe following is the information:
455W
Tonnage of United Kingdom imports (including conversion material) of steel industry products '000 tonnes From European Community From rest of world 1976 2,590 1,498 1977 2,345 1,373 1978 2,231 1,441 1979 2,347 1,437 1980* 3,059 1,561 1981 2,515 800 1982 2,615 1,221
From European Community From rest of world 1983 2,363 982 1984 2,632 922 1985 (January to May) 1,085 400 * Affected by BSC strike. Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau from Her Majesty's Customs returns.
§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the percentage reduction in steel capacity in the United Kingdom and each of the member states of the European Economic Community since the beginning of 1979.
§ Mr. FletcherThe following is the available information:
Production potential of steel in Europian Community 1979 million tonnes 1983 million tonnes Percentage change 1979 to 1983 Belgium 19.7 17.0 -14 Denmark 1.2 0.9 -25 France 32.0 28.8 -10 Greece * 4.0 * Ireland 0.1 0.3 *† Italy 37.0 39.6 +7 Luxembourg 7.3 6.4 -12 Netherlands 8.4 8.0 -5 United Kingdom 28.9 24.5 -15 West Germany 68.8 61.4 -11 * Not available. †Precise percentage change for Ireland cannot be provided from these figures. Source: ECSC investment in the Community coalmining and iron and steel industries.