§ Mr. Ridleyasked the President of the Board of Trade, what estimate he has made of the annual saving of imported aluminium, the increase in bauxite imports, and the increase in fuel imports. respectively, resulting from his decision to install capacity for smelting 320,000 tons of aluminium per annum in the United Kingdom.
§ Mr. DellThe companies concerned have decided, with the approval of H.M. Government, to install three new aluminum reduction plants with an initial capacity of 260,000 tons a year. To import this metal would, at present prices, cost about £60 million. The plants will use imported alumina which, together with other imported raw materials, would cost about £17 million a year.
I am advised that on average, over the period of the contracts with the respective Generating Boards, the Anglesey and Invergordon projects together may add just over £1 million a year to our fuel import bill. The import saving net of imports of raw materials and fuel is therefore expected to be about £40 million a year.