HC Deb 08 August 1980 vol 990 cc394-5W
Mr. John H. Osborn

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will tabulate in the Official Report the tonnage, and value, of all solid fossil fuels, by category and in total, including coke, coking coal, coal, and coal for electricity generation exported from and imported in to the United Kingdom between 1 January and 1 July comparing this with the figures for the previous five six-month periods.

Mr. Tebbit

[pursuant to his reply, 4 August 1980, c. 5]: The available information is as follows:

III. UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS BY WEIGHT
Thousand tonnes
July-December January-June July-December January-June July-December January-June
1977 1978 1978 1979 1979 1980
Anthracite 318 244 289 366 481 467
Steam coal 583 652 937 554 837 874
Coking coal * 47 40 62 31 4
Gas coal 23 30 24 6 3
Briquettes, ovoids and similar solid fuels manufactured from coal 62 72 74 106 69 50
Lignite, whether or not agglomerated * * *
Coke and semi-coke
(i) of coal 285 409 491 327 408 680
(ii) of lignite 4 * *
TOTAL 1,271 1,458 1,856 1,421 1,828 2,075

IV. UNITED KINGDOM EXPORTS BY VALUE
£ million fob
July-December January-June July-December January-June July-December January-June
1977 1978 1978 1979 1979 1980
Anthracite 8.7 7.3 8.8 12.0 16.8 17.3
Steam coal 11.6 13.0 17.8 11.6 18.8 21.8
Coking coal 1 1.4 1.0 1.8 1.0 0.1
Gas coal 0.9 1.2 1.0 0.3 0.1
Briquettes, ovoids and similar solid fuels manufactured from coal 3.0 3.5 3.6 5.6 3.9 2.8
Lignite, whether or not agglomerated 1 1 1
Coke and semi-coke
(i) of coal 12.7 14.7 16.7 12.4 16.1 32.8
(ii) of lignite 0.2 1 1
TOTAL 36.9 41.3 49.0 43.7 56.7 74.8
Source: United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics (SITC (Rev 2) Group 322, Sub-group 322.3 and Items 323.11, 12, 21 and 22 (part) and corresponding items under S1TC (Rev 1)).
Notes:
(a) Coal for electricity generation is not separately identified in the overseas trade statistics. It is believed, however, that United Kingdom imports of steam coal are mainly for this purpose.
(b) — nil trade, * trade less than 500 tonnes, 1 trade less than £0.5 million.