HC Deb 20 November 1978 vol 958 cc462-7W
Mr. Hooley

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the degree of import penetration of the United Kingdom market in respect of tool steel, high speed steels, and stainless steel bar in each of the years 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978, to 30th September (a) by volume, (b) by value, and (c) as a percentage of the United Kingdom market, showing the main exporting countries to the United Kindom.

Mr. Les Huckfield

The information is given below. The estimates of import penetration are based only on volume figures because figures of the value of home deliveries are not available.

IMPORT PENETRATION OF UNITED KINGDOM MARKET BY MAIN EXPORTING COUNTRIES TO UNITED KINGDOM
1974 1976 1977 1978 (January-September)
Imports Imports penetration Imports Imports penetration Imports Imports penetration Imports Imports penetration
tonnes £000 % tonnes £000 % tonnes £000 % tonnes £000 %
Alloy tool, die and magnet steel—
France 7,510 1,157 14.86 5,154 1,228 14–58 11,236 2,486 23.09 9,610 2,842 22.93
Netherlands 690 182 1.36 141 65 0.40 858 217 1.76 2,286 628 5.46
Federal Republic Germany 5,742 1,388 11.37 2,420 1,052 6.85 4,545 2,593 9.34 6,554 3,197 15.64
Italy 995 317 1.97 2,000 451 5.66 3,908 1,082 8.03 2,332 709 5.56
Sweden 8,908 2,263 17.63 4,803 2,138 13.60 5,348 2,116 10.99 1,718 941 4.10
Finland 5,740 957 11.37 5,910 1,585 16.72 3,526 1,162 7.25 3,456 1,272 8.25
Austria 1,142 670 2.26 1,189 1,123 3.36 2,226 2,581 4–57 517 445 1.23
Japan 84 34 0.17 1,213 556 3.43 1,909 787 3.92 628 288 1.50
USA 4,280 1,138 8.47 188 234 0.53 209 244 0.43 335 481 0.80
Brazil 1,245 249 2.97
All countries 36,727 8,523 72.69 23,802 8,685 67.35 35,525 13,865 73.01 29,895 11,518 71.34

High speed steel bar and rod
(including wire rod)—
France 341 527 2.86 252 486 2.31 718 1,624 6.18 360 1,030 4.23
Federal Republic of Germany 186 273 1.56 52 108 0.48 433 821 3.73 189 492 2.22
Sweden 2,875 3,498 24.09 2,491 4,394 22.80 2,257 4,590 19.44 2,097 4,151 24.65
Austria 1,334 1,708 11.18 382 850 3.50 416 1,109 3.58 409 1,396 4.81
All countries 5,087 6,609 42.63 3,419 6,365 31.30 4,251 8,701 36.61 3,190 7,313 37.49
Stainless steel bars—
France 1,578 940 4.57 853 1,182 3.86 1,189 1,892 4.37 1,341 2,133 5.72
Federal Republic of Germany 1,683 1,182 4.88 2,127 1,823 9.62 3,011 2,751 11.05 2,187 2,309 9.33
Italy 289 165 0.84 470 402 2.13 2,502 2,699 9.18 2,736 2,731 11 . 67
Austria 412 297 1.19 453 478 2.05 749 989 2.75 610 794 2.60
Spain 1,497 878 4.34 1,245 1,067 5.63 2,251 2,145 8.26 1,287 1,206 5.49
All countries 8,279 5,520 24 . 00 7,955 7,602 35 . 98 12,201 13,548 44.78 9,670 11,079 41 25
In order to provide comparability as between the trade statistics of Customs & Excise and the delivery figures from 1SSB the three product categories covered are as follows:—
(a) Alloy tool, die and magnet steel excludes carbon tool steel.
(b) High speed steel includes high speed wire rod.
(c) In addition to stainless steel bar this steel category includes valve steel and tube rounds.
Sources: Iron & Steel Statistical Bureau, H. M. Customs & Excise.