HC Deb 02 April 1965 vol 709 cc297-8W
Mr. Parker

asked the Minister of Power how many United Kingdom steelworks making bulk steel have a capacity of less than 750,000 ingot tons, of between 750,000 ingot tons and 1 million ingot tons, of between 1 million and 2 million ingot tons, and of over 2 million ingot tons; and what is the total capacity of the steelworks in each of these groups.

Mr. Frederick Lee

I have been supplied with the following information by the Iron and Steel Board:

Less than 750,000 ingot tons—21 works with a total capacity of approximately 8 million tons.

Between 750,000 and 1 million ingot tons—3 works with a total capacity of approximately 2½ million tons.

Between 1 million and 2 million ingot tons—10 works with a total capacity of approximately 12¾ million tons.

Over 2 million ingot tons—2 works with a total capacity of approximately 5 million tons.

Some works included in the list may be operated jointly with other works within a company or group but have here been regarded as separate works.

Mr. Parker

asked the Minister of Power (1) what amount of the total crude steel capacity in 1965 classified in the Iron and Steel Board's Special Report, 1964, as Category A is in steelworks making bulk steel with a capacity of less than 1 million tons;

(2) what was the minimum capacity for crude steel production which the Iron and Steel Board required for a steelworks to be classified in Category A of its Special Report, 1964;

(3) what amount of capacity for pig iron, crude steel, billets, heavy sections, and light sections, classified for the years 1955, 1960 and 1965 in the Iron and Steel Board's Special Report, 1964, as Category B, was so classified because it was not on a sufficiently large scale to yield the full economies required for Category A.

Mr. Frederick Lee

I am asking the Iron and Steel Board to let my hon. Friend have this information.