2. Mr. John H. Osborneasked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what is the total tonnage of chromium imported into the United Kingdom; and how much of this total is in the form of low carbon and high carbon ferrochrome, respectively;
(2) if he will tabulate the areas from which ferrochrome, used for the manufacture of stainless and alloy steels, is imported, indicating the total supplied from each area, and specifically the tonnage imported from Southern Africa.
§ Mr. DeakinsInformation for January to September 1974 is published in Table IV of the September 1974 issue of the 287W Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom. Figures for chromium ore, and for unwrought and wrought chromium, are given under headings 2601 1388, 8104 1624, and 8104 1745 respectively (pages IV/25 and 64). For ferrochrome, quantity figures cannot be provided as these would disclose confidential commercial information; value figures are given under headings 7302 1294—containing less than 3 per cent. by weight of carbon—and 7302 1426—other chrome ore. (Page IV/59). The more important suppliers of ferrochrome in this period were the Federal Republic of Germany, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, Spain and Sweden.