HC Deb 26 July 1985 vol 83 cc785-7W
Mr. Donald Stewart

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the figures for the consumption of steel in the United Kingdom since 1979; and what is the estimate for 1985–86.

Mr. Butcher

The available information is as follows:

United Kingdom consumption of finished steel products
million tonnes
1979 15.48
1980 12.77
1981 12.44
1982 12.30
1983 11.62
1984 11.44

Source: Department of Trade and Industry. Quarterly Inquiry into Steel Stocks and Consumption.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the latest figures for crude steel production and effective capacity for European Economic Community countries plus Japan, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America.

Mr. Butcher

The available information is as follows:

Crude steel production 1985 January-May Production potential 1983
million tonnes million tonnes
Belgium 4.6 17.0
Denmark 0.2 0.9
France 8.3 28.8
Greece *0.3 4.0
Irish Republic 0.1 0.3
Italy 10.3 39.6

Crude steel production 1985 January-May Production potential 1983
million tonnes million tonnes
Luxembourg 1.7 6.4
Netherlands 2.2 8.0
United Kingdom 6.7 24.5
West Germany 16.9 61.4
Japan 44.7 n.a.
USSR† †154.3 n.a.
USA 34.3 135.0
*January-April.
†1984 as a whole.

Sources: International Iron and Steel Institute; ECSC investment in the Community coalmining and iron and steel industries; ECE steel market report.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give the latest figures for employment costs per tonne of steel produced by the British Steel Corporation and the index of wholesale prices for steel in dollar terms.

Mr. Butcher

The British Steel Corporation's total employment costs were £50 per tonne of liquid steel in the financial year 1984–85. The index of producer prices for iron and steel in dollar terms was 92 in June 1985, based on 1980 = 100.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give the latest figures for finished steel imports as a percentage of total deliveries to the United Kingdom market for (a) rods and bars, (b) wire rods, (c) other light rolled sections, (d) heavy rails, (e) other heavy rolled products. (f) plates, (g) sheets, (h) hot rolled strip, (i) cold rolled strip, (j) template and (k) tubes and pipes.

Mr. Butcher

The following is the available information:

United Kingdom Imports of Finished Steel as a Percentage of Total Deliveries* to the United Kingdom Market
1985 Q1 per cent.
Rods and Bars
For reinforcement 17
In coil 18
Straight lengths (hot rolled and cold reduced) 23
Sections (including rails)
80 mm and over 10
Less than 80 mm 25
Plate (including wide coil under 3 mm thick) 31
Sheets (coated and uncoated) 40
Strip
Hot rolled under 600 mm wide 11
Cold rolled under 500 mm wide 25
Tinplate and blackplate 20
Tubes and pipes all sizes 21
* Producers deliveries to United Kingdom consumers and stockholders, plus imports.

Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.

Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will give the latest figures for crude steel produced per process worker in European Economic Community countries, the United States of America and Japan.

Mr. Butcher

The following is the available information.

Crude Steel Production per Man-Year
tonnes
1984 1985* Not seasonally adjusted
Belgium 292 304
Denmark 343 296
France 216 240
Greece 224 †256
Ireland 237 315
Italy 294 332
Luxembourg 314 328
Netherlands 307 286
United Kingdom 244 263
West Germany 252 266
Japan †360 n/a
USA ‡228 n/a
* Based on production and total employment in January-May 1985 and expressed at an annual rate.
† 1983.
‡1982

Source: Eurostat; ECE steel market report.