§ Mr. Whiteheadasked the Secretary of State for Industry how many planning agreements have been concluded with firms in the power generating industry since October 1974.
Mr. Alan WilliamsFour of the firms which were named in my announcement in April this year, as having agreed to move forward to operative discussions on planning agreements, are primarily concerned with the manufacture of power generating equipment. The difficulties faced by these companies, as a result of the mismatch between manufacturing capacity and demand for heavy electrical generating equipment, have been the subject
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF POWER PLANT* £ million 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 Exports (fob) 20 22 26 22 21 Imports (cif) 3 4 5 4 3 Crude Trade Balance † 16 18 22 18 18 £ million 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 Exports (fob) 31 34 44 45 59 Imports (cif) 7 8 8 12 14 Crude Trade Balance † 24 26 36 33 45 Source: Overseas Trade Statistics. * Power plant exports and imports include values of complete products and parts (the latter partly estimated) for the following three trade headings: Turbines other than marine; AC Generators over 1,000 KVA and Water tube boilers other than marine. † Balances do not in all cases agree with exports less imports owing to independent rounding.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the problems facing the United Kingdom's power plant manufacturing industries; and if he will take measures to ensure the continued survival of the United Kingdom's turbine generator and boiler making industries.
Mr. Alan WiliamsThe CPRS report on the industries is now with Ministers and will shortly be published. Decisions to deal with the problem will be taken in the light of the report and with regard to the views of interested parties.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the current order prospects for the United Kingdom's power plant manufacturing industries; and what
528Wof the recently completed study by the CPRS. The report will be published shortly, and I hope that interested parties known to Government so that they can be taken into account when decisions are will as soon as possible, make their views made.
§ Mr. Woofasked the Secretary of State for Industry what contribution the United Kingdom's power plant manufacturing industries have made to the balance of payments during the last 10 years.
Mr. Alan WilliamsThe crude visible trade balances—exports fob less imports cif—for power plant products during the past decade are given in the following table. A full balance of payments assessment, including allowances for valuation differences and "invisibles"—i.e. international transactions and earnings of the companies concerned other than on visible trade—is impracticable given limitations of information and resources.
is the United Kingdom's share of world trade in electrical equipment.