§ 60. Mr. Chetwyndasked the Paymaster-General how far British steel prices are at present competitive with Japanese. European and United States prices; and what is the effect of this on production and exports.
§ Mr. MaudlingUnited Kingdom inland prices are in general above those for Bessemer steel but below those for open hearth steel on the Continent. They are lower than United States prices.
Japanese home prices seem on the whole to be a little higher than United Kingdom home prices.
In 1958 United States export prices for steel remained relatively stable; European and Japanese prices fell sharply; and British prices fell, though less sharply.
Production in all major steel producing countries has been affected by the general recession in demand for steel.