§ Mr. Robertsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what increase in costs has occurred for Scottish manufacturing industry as the result of the concentration of alloy steel production in Sheffield;
(2) what has been the effect on employment opportunities of the rationalisation of alloy steel manufacture and finishing with the concentration of production in Sheffield.
§ Mr. Les HuckfieldI have been asked to reply.
In the statement on Scottish closures on 6th August 1975 we announced that 669W the British Steel Corporation now proposes to maintain into the 1980s the special steels facility in Scotland represented by the Hallside and Craigneuk mills. Earlier plans to concentrate this work in the Sheffield area have been revised accordingly and no changes are now foreseen from this cause in either employment opportunities or manufacturing industry costs in Scotland.