§ Mr. George Rodgersasked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the 136W present and planned annual levels of coal imports by the British Steel Corporation; and from what countries the coal is imported.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe British Steel Corporation bases its coal procurement policy on available domestic supplies. However, some coking coal of a quality not sufficiently available in the United Kingdom has to be imported. Imports are likely to increase gradually, with growing requirements and the decline in the availability of the necessary qualities at home, but would remain a minor proportion of the total supply. Details of the tonnage which BSC plans to purchase abroad and the sources of imports are commercial matters for the Corporation.