Steel (Hansard, 23 January 1978)

§ 11. Mr. William Hamilton
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Scottish steel industry.

§ Mr. Varley
Discussions between the Government, the British Steel Corporation and the TUC Steel Committee are in progress. These discussions take account of the Corporation's activities in Scotland and elsewhere in the United Kingdom. I will make a statement on the outcome of these discussions at the earliest opportunity.

§ 36. Mr. Hooley
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his most recent estimate of the capacity that will be required of the United Kingdom steel industry in the mid-1980s.

§ Mr. Les Huckfield
The future capacity requirement is one of the topics covered by the current discussions between the Government, the British Steel Corporation and the trade unions which are not yet completed.

§ Mr. Tebbit
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, pursuant to the Prime Minister's statement, Official Report, 17th January 1978, columns 244–5, concerning losses by steel-making industries, he will publish in the Official Report the figures 425W which he had been given which led him to his conclusion.

COMPARISON OF MAJOR STEEL PRODUCERS—PUBLISHED RESULTS 1976–77 AND HALF YEAR 1977

1976–77—Published results 1977—Published half year results^*

Company Profit/(Loss) £ million Crude Steel Production Million tonnes Profit/(Loss) per Tonne £ per tonne Profit/(Loss) £ million Crude Steel Production Million tonnes Profit/(Loss) per Tonne £per tonne

British Steel Corporation … (95) 19.7 (4.8) (204) 8.9 (22.9)

Usinor (France) … … (146) 8.9 (16.4) (107) 4.3 (24.9)

Italsider (Italy) … … (88) 10.9 (8.1) (211) 51 (41.4)

Sacilor (France) … … (131) 4.3 (30.5) (85) 3.2 (26.6)

Cockerill (Belgium … … (31) 5.1 (6.1) (60) 2.5 (24.0)

Arbed (Luxembourg) … … (22) 4.0 (5.5) (34) 1.9 (17.9)

Bethlehem Steel (USA) … … ‡ ‡ ‡ (264)† 11.4 (23.2)

^* (i) BSC results are for the first six months of the financial year.

(ii) Bethlemen Steel are for the first nine months of the calendar year.

(iii) All others are first six calendar months.

† This includes £435 million write-off of closure costs and other exceptional items.

‡ Not available.

COMPARISON OF MAJOR STEEL PRODUCERS—PUBLISHED RESULTS 1976–77 AND HALF YEAR 1977
			1976–77—Published results	1977—Published half year results^*
Company	Profit/(Loss) £ million	Crude Steel Production Million tonnes	Profit/(Loss) per Tonne £ per tonne	Profit/(Loss) £ million	Crude Steel Production Million tonnes	Profit/(Loss) per Tonne £per tonne
British Steel Corporation		…	(95)	19.7	(4.8)	(204)	8.9	(22.9)
Usinor (France)	…	…	(146)	8.9	(16.4)	(107)	4.3	(24.9)
Italsider (Italy)	…	…	(88)	10.9	(8.1)	(211)	51	(41.4)
Sacilor (France)	…	…	(131)	4.3	(30.5)	(85)	3.2	(26.6)
Cockerill (Belgium	…	…	(31)	5.1	(6.1)	(60)	2.5	(24.0)
Arbed (Luxembourg)	…	…	(22)	4.0	(5.5)	(34)	1.9	(17.9)
Bethlehem Steel (USA)	…	…	‡	‡	‡	(264)†	11.4	(23.2)
^* (i) BSC results are for the first six months of the financial year.
(ii) Bethlemen Steel are for the first nine months of the calendar year.
(iii) All others are first six calendar months.
† This includes £435 million write-off of closure costs and other exceptional items.
‡ Not available.