HC Deb 16 April 1964 vol 693 cc88-91W
Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board for a table showing the main ore-loading ports from which British imports of iron ore are brought, showing restrictions on the dimensions of ships which can be fully loaded at each port in 1964, on the lines of Table 36 in the 1961 Development Report of the Iron and Steel Board; and if he will publish such information in the OFFICIAL REPORT;

(2) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board to bring up to date Table XII of their 1956 annual report; and if he will publish it in the OFFICIAL REPORT;

(3) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board to bring up to date Table 34 of their 1961 Development Report; and if he will publish this in the OFFICIAL REPORT;

(4) if he will request the Iron and Steel Board for information on any subsequent modifications to Table 37 of the 1961 Development Report of the Iron and Steel Board, and on what changes in detail had taken place between 1954 and 1960 in that respect; and if he will publish such information in the OFFICIAL REPORT;

(5) what capital investment has been made by the steel industry in the development of port and dock facilities since 1954; and at which ports that investment has been made;

(6) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the main ore-loading ports from which imports of iron ore were brought to the United Kingdom, showing the annual tonnage of ore removed from those ports to the United Kingdom for each year since 1954.

Mr. Erroll

I am asking the Chairman of the Iron and Steel Board to let the hon. Member have such information as is available.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of imports of iron ore, by countries of origin, for each year from 1955 to 1963, inclusive.

Mr. Erroll

As the answer consists of a large table of figures, I am writing to the hon. Member about it.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power (1) if he will state in the OFFICIAL REPORT the average cost of iron ore per ton imported from overseas ore-fields in 1962 and 1963; and what percentage of that cost represents the costs of shipping and handling charges;

(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the average cost of shipping iron ore from overseas to British ports per ton mile for each year since 1955;

(3) what proportions of total iron ore imports were carried in 8,000–10,000 deadweight ton vessels, 14,000–18,000 ton vessels and vessels of 20,000 tons and over for each year since 1959; what are the estimated average costs per ton mile in vessels of each of these tonnages; and what would be the estimated reduction in costs of transporting iron ore in vessels of 25,000 tons and 50,000–60,000 tons, respectively.

Mr. Erroll

The average c.i.f. value of iron ore (including pyrites) imported into the United Kingdom was approximately 97s. per ton in 1962 and 91s. in 1963. I regret that further details are not available but I hope to write to the hon. Member fairly soon about the estimated savings which would accrue from the operation of larger ore carriers.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power (1) what discussions he has had with the Iron and Steel Board and the British Iron and Steel Federation regarding the development of ore-terminals; and if he will make a statement;

(2) whether the Steel Board has yet reported to him whether it can secure the provision of the improved port facilities required for the import of iron ore; and what action he proposes to take in the matter;

(3) what discussions have taken place between the iron and steel industry, the National Ports Council, the Iron and Steel Board and the port authorities concerned regarding the technical and financial details of a programme for developing ore-terminals; and what agreements have been reached.

Mr. Erroll

I am in close touch with the Iron and Steel Board and the other authorities concerned. In regard to South Wales ports I would refer the hon. Member to tie reply I gave to the Member for Cardiff, South-East (Mr. Callaghan) on 9th April.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the observations submitted to him by the Iron and Steel Board and the British Iron and Steel Federation on the recommendations in Command Paper No. 1824.

Mr. Erroll

No. They are summarised on pages 29 and 30 of the Iron and Steel Board's Annual Report for 1962.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power (1) what discussions have taken place between the Iron and Steel Board and the steel industry regarding the construction of large ore carriers; what proposals there are for the construction of large ore carriers for the use of B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd.; and if he will make a statement;

(2) what financial investments are held by the British steel industry in ore-fields overseas; and in which ore-fields they are held.

Mr. Erroll

I am asking the Chairman of the Iron and Steel Board to let the hon. Member have such information as is available.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of British ports at which iron-ore is unloaded, showing the amount of iron-ore imported into each port for each year since 1955 and expressing those amounts for each port each year in terms of a percentage of the total annual imports of iron-ore.

Mr. Erroll

As the answer contains a large number of figures I am writing to the hon. Member about it.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power if ht will state the average rate of discharge of iron-ore per ship per day in United Kingdom ports in 1951, 1956 and 1963.

Mr. Erroll

I regret the information is not readily available.

Mr. O'Malley

asked the Minister of Power (1) under what arrangements iron ore from Venezuela is shipped to this country; which ore carriers are being used; what is their size; and at which ports this ore is landed in the United Kingdom;

(2) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of ore carriers under the direct control of the steel industry, stating their deadweight, draught, dimensions, cost and year of building and the estimated written-down value of these carriers in 1964;

(3) in which shipping companies owning ore carriers operated for B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. the steel industry has a financial interest; and what are the details of that interest;

(4) which ore carriers under the direct control of the steel industry have been converted for the carriage of other cargoes since 1959; and what has been the total cost of such conversions;

(5) how many and which shipping companies owning ore carriers operated for (Ore) Ltd. are wholly owned subsidiaries of the steel industry;

(6) which shipping companies have been provided with capital by the steel industry for the building of ore carriers since 1953; and how much capital each of these companies has received;

(7) how much capital the steel industry, through B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd., has provided for each year since 1953 towards the building of ore carriers;

(8) in which shipping companies owning ore carriers operated for B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. there is no financial participation by the steel industry;

(9) what was the c.i.f. price paid by B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. in 1963 for iron ore from the Cerro Bolivar ore-fields; and what was the cost of shipping that ore;

(10) if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT details of the Cargo Differential Scheme operated by B.I.S.C. (Ore) Ltd. as it operates at the major iron-ore importing ports.

Mr. Erroll

I have no power to require the disclosure of this information.