§ Mr. Cyril Smithasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the level of adequacy of stocks of copper in the United Kingdom, and on the recent export of 50,000 tons of it to China.
§ Mr. Anthony GrantOn the latest information available, stocks of refined copper held in the United Kingdom total about 77,000 metric tonnes. This is nearly the same level as at the end of last year and appreciably higher than at the end of March 1972. The recently reported sales of copper to China have drawn on stocks held in London Metal Exchange warehouses, but it is understood that the bulk of the copper is being supplied from LME warehouses on the Continent.