§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will compare the stockpiles of coking coal in the Federal Republic of Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom for the latest date for which figures are available; and when he anticipates the stocks will be reduced in the United Kingdom, bearing in mind the continued recession in the steel industry both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
§ Mr. EadieFigures of coking coal stocks in other Community countries are696W not readily available. As there is a general practice to carbonise coking coal and stock the resultant coke, I shall give such figures as I have for coal and coke.
At the end of April 1978, the Federal Republic of Germany had coke stocks of some 15½ million tonnes and total coal stocks, a large part of which might be coking coal, of 18 million tonnes. Stocks of coke in France were over 1 million tonnes. Italy is not a coal producer, and any stocks of coal or coke are likely to be largely derived from third country imports rather than Community sources. At the same time United Kingdom coking coal stocks were 5 million tonnes and coke stocks 3.7 million tonnes.
The levels of coking coal stocked at coke ovens are now consistent with the needs for current rates of carbonisation. The extent to which the National Coal Board will be able to reduce coking coal stocks will depend largely on economic recovery within the United Kingdom. Measures have already been taken to reduce surplus availability of coking coal by diverting tonnages of marginal quality to the power station market. In addition, discussions are taking place with the British Steel Corporation to establish the technical feasibility of supplying NCB coals in lieu of third country imports.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the tonnage of coking coal processed by the coal and steel industries, respectively, during the past year, and the quantity of such coal stockpiled by each at the latest date for which figures are available.
§ Mr. EadieProvisional information for the year ending June 1978 is as follows:
At coke ovens operated by: National Smokeless Fuels Ltd.* Iron and Steel Industry million tonnes Coal consumed 4.5 10.6 Coal stock at end of period 0.5 1.2 * Wholly-owned subsidiary of the National Coal Board.