§ Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the outcome of discussions with BSC, his Department and the Department of Energy in relation to the United Kingdom share of special and tubular steels for the North Sea offshore oil market.
§ Mr. KaufmanThe Department keeps in regular contact with the Department of Energy and the British Steel Corporation about the corporation's ability to meet North Sea oil requirements. BSC currently supplies the great bulk of requirements for well-casing and recently started a £35 million programme to develop further its capacity for producing this. In addition, two electric are furnaces have recently been installed at BSC's Clydesdale Works in Scotland at a cost of £13 million, for the production of high quality steel suitable for the North Sea market.