HC Deb 13 July 1979 vol 970 cc349-50W
Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, what percentage of United Kingdom imports of steel rods and bars came from (a) France, (b) West Germany, (c) Italy, (d) Belgium and (e) the Netherlands during the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Mr. Parkinson

Following is the information for the period April 1978-March 1979:

Percentage (by weight)
Italy 10.53
France 9.87
Federal Republic of Germany 9.16
Netherlands 6.50
Belgium-Luxembourg 1.63

Source: Overseas Trade Statistics—SITC (Rev 2) Sub-group 673.2.

Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the cost to the United Kingdom balance of payments of steel imports from other EEC countries over each of the past three years.

Mr. Parkinson

The following are the of values of imports from the EEC of ingots, semi-finished and finished steel:—

£ million
April 1976-March 1977 503.4
April 1977-March 1978 554.8
April 1978-March 1979 544.0

Mr. Michael Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the total amount of rod and bar steel products imported in a semi-finished state from EEC countries into the United Kingdom during each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Mr. Parkinson

Following are the details of imports from other EEC coun- tries of bars and roads (excluding wire rod) of iron and steel and hollow mining drill steel of various types of processing in the period June 1978—May 1979:

1978 Thousand tonnes
June 11.4
July 8.8
August 8.7
September 9.6
October 13.2
November 7.4
December 9.3
1979
January 7.3
February 6.5
March 11.2
April 12.6
May 13.3

Source: UK Overseas Trade Statistics (SITC (R2) Sub-group 673.2).