§ Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been British Leyland's share of the British market for new cars in the last 12 months and the last half-year for which figures are available.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldOfficial statistics are not available, but according to SMMT figures, British Leyland's percentage share of new registrations of new cars in the last 12 months, and the last half year for which figures are available is as follows:
Per cent. July 1975-June 1976 28 January-June 1976 27
§ Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for Industry when the House may expect the statement promised before the Recess with the National Enterprise Board's comments on the performance to date of British Leyland and the Government's reaction to those comments.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI would refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Park) on 21st July.
§ Mr. Hal Millerasked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what proportion of British Leyland's production of cars has been exported since 1st October 1975; and 91W what are the plans for increasing this proportion;
(2) assuming British Leyland's capacity for car production is of the order of 1 million cars a year, how many cars have been produced in the last 12 months; and what is the currently achieved utilisation of capacity;
(3) how the number of cars lost through disputes at British Leyland in the last six months compares with the figures for the three preceding periods of six months;
(4) how British Leyland's capacity for car production and utilisation compare with that of Volkswagen, Renault, Ford of Europe, Fiat, Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot/Citroen; and over how many models the capacity is spread in each case;
(5) to what extent Leyland's productivity, measured by output per man per hour or day actually worked and not by the number of days worked, has risen since 1st October 1975;
(6) how many additional employees British Leyland has recruited in the last three months; and whether the firm's productivity per man per hour or day worked has improved as a result of this recruitment.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI have made available to the House a summary report by NEB on British Leyland's performance during the current financial year. The hon. Member is seeking more detailed information about some aspects of British Leyland's performance which are a matter for the British Leyland Board. The hon. Member should, therefore, write to the chief executive on these points.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied that British Leyland is going to achieve a benefit of £400 million as a result of improved efficiency over the eight years to the end of September 1982; and how much of this estimated benefit will have been achieved by 30th September 1976.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldThe National Enterprise Board's summary report makes clear that British Leyland's plans continue to rest upon a major contribution from improved efficiency and better industrial relations; this is of the same order as in the Ryder Report. It92W also shows there has been a substantial improvement in the present year.