§ Mr. M. Footasked the Minister of Power whether he will consult the Steel Board and the Iron and Steel Federation on the desirability of extending the industry's present group selling arrangements for heavy steel to other steel products.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeI understand that the Iron and Steel Board and British Iron and Steel Federation have reviewed the position but that, in their view, no advantages would be gained from extending the present group selling arrangements in export markets. Under the Government's nationalisation proposals, the National Steel Corporation will have a duty to promote steel exports.
§ Mr. M. Footasked the Minister of Power what information is available to his Department or the Steel Board through the Council of Association with the European Coal and Steel Community, or the Economic Commission for Europe, as to the comparative costs at United Kingdom and continental works of making iron and steel.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeThere is no exchange of information on the total costs of production of iron and steel through the Council of Association with the European Coal and Steel Community, or the Economic Commission for Europe.
§ Mr. M. Footasked the Minister of Power (1) what is the Steel Board's estimate of the modern steel-making capacity definitely planned for 1970; what capital expenditure is required to reach the capacity for an adequate increase in home consumption and exports; and what level of exports and imports is anticipated in 1970;
(2) what is the Steel Board's latest information as to the percentage of steel capacity likely to be represented by capacity of oxygen converters this year;
(3) what is the Steel Board's latest information as to the use of computers for process control by the industry; and what information he has as to the extent to which continental countries are experimenting and gaining general 158W experience with such computers compared with the United Kingdom industry.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeI am asking the Iron and Steel Board to let my hon. Friend have this information.
§ Mr. M. Footasked the Minister of Power what have been the total and the average rates of increase in the output of crude steel per man-hour in the United Kingdom and the European Coal and Steel Community between 1957 and the latest available date for comparison.
§ Mr. Frederick LeeThe information I have received from the Iron and Steel Board is as follows:
United Kingdom European Coal and Steel Community Total percentage increase between 1957 and 1964 28.0% 39.9% Average annual rate of increase (compound) 3.6% 4.9%