Mr. Batesasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the United Kingdom output of steel in volume and in value in each of the last five years and in each of the last 18 months for which figures are available.
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§ Mr. MeacherVolume figures through February 1975 are contained in "Annual Statistics" and "Monthly Statistics" of the Iron and Steel Industry, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Weekly average United Kingdom crude steel production in March and April 1975 was 494.7 thousand and 429.5 thousand tonnes respectively. Monthly value figures and value figures for 1969 are not available. Annual value figures of sales by the industry for 1968 and 1970 through 1973 are contained in reports on the Census of Production, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.
Mr. Batesasked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the amount of Government money, in cash grants and in loans, given to the steel industry in each of the last five years, and in the current year until the latest available date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. MeacherComprehensive data for the steel industry are not readily available. The following table gives grants authorised for the British Steel Corporation and loans drawn by it from the National Loan Fund in the last five financial years. Figures for 1974–75 are provisional.
Grants Authorised Net Drawings from the National Loan Fund £m. £m. 1970–71 … 27.9 58.3 1971–72 … 12.3 129.5 1972–73 … 44.0 142.9 1973–74 … 30.8 3.0* 1974–75 … 39.1 83.2* * Net repayment. The Government invested £45 million in public dividend capital in BSC in 1974–75.
Undertaking Accounting period Year ending: Profit or Loss before taxation and extraordinary items £ Appledore Shipbuilders Limited 30th September 1974 … +303,447 British Steel Corporation 31st March 1974 … +98,000,000 Cable & Wireless Limited 31st March 1974 … +15,047,000 Cammell Laird Shipbuilders Limited (50 per cent. holdings) 31st December 1974 … +1,108,143 Govan Shipbuilders Limited 27th December 1974 … -5,317,000 Rolls Royce (1971) Limited 31st December 1973 … +22,847,000 Sunderland Shipbuilders Limited 30th September 1973 … -179,000 The Post Office 31st March 1974 … +101,914,000