§ Mr. Lubbockasked the President of the Board of Trade if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of products not manufactured in the United Kingdom because heavy energy consumption is necessary, and cheap power is required to make the process economic, including silicon, silicon carbide, calcium carbide and graphite, and showing in each case the tonnage and value of imports in 1966 and the estimated tonnage and values for 1967.
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§ Mr. DarlingA number of products requiring heavy energy consumption are made in this country, including, among those mentioned in the Question, calcium carbide and artificial graphite. Other products, including aluminium, are made here in small quantities, but the bulk of our supplies is imported. It would not be possible, without a disproportionate amount of work, to produce a comprehensive list of products not made here, but the figures for some important products are set out below. It is not the practice to give forward estimates of imports.
Imports 1966 Tonnage Value £000 Magnesium … 4,827* 1,052* Silicon … 11,407 1,530 Silicon carbide … 12,566 1,268 Ferro-silicon … 98,290 5,308 Ferro-manganese … 75,868 4,776 Ferro-chrome … 50,065 5,446 * Import figures for magnesium and magnesium alloys, unwrought.