§ Mr. Buchanasked the Secretary of State for Industry, in the light of the worldwide shortage in semiconductor supplies and the growing demand for such supplies, what is being done to assist British industry and in particular companies assisted by the National Enterprise Board to take advantage of the market situation.
§ Mr. David Mitchell[pursuant to his reply, 5 February 1980]: As well as regional support under section 7 of the
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UNITED KINGDOM STEEL PRODUCERS DELIVERIES '000 tonnes Year British Steel Corporation Private Sector Total NON-ALLOY Ingots, blooms, billets and slabs (including tube rounds and squares). 1970 … … 311.0 37.9 348.9 1971 … … 346.8 52.6 399.4 1972 … … 370.6 55.1 425.7 1973 … … 410.9 91.9 502.8 1974 … … 323.6 131.8 455.4 1975 … … 341.1 141.9 483.0 1976 … … 311.6 149.7 461.3 1977 … … 442.9 147.3 590.2 1978 … … .. .. 506.9 1979 (October) .. .. 382.7 Heavy rails (20 kg and over per metre) and accessories. 1970 … … 232.6 3.4 236.0 1971 … … 286.1 2.2 288.3 1972 … … 225.1 2.2 227.3 1973 … … 224.2 1.8 226.0 1974 … … 253.4 1.4 254.8 1975 … … 297.4 1.4 298.8 1976 … … 215.3 1.0 216.3 1977 … … 229.3 2.3 231.6 1978 … … .. .. 217.7 1979 (October) .. .. 193.5 Plates 3 mm thick and over (including coil). 1970 … … 3,166.3 231.7 3,398.0 1971 … … 2,525.5 252.2 2,777.7 1972 … … 2,474.3 256.0 2,730.3 1973 … … 2,720.5 282.9 3,003.4 1974 … … 2,206.7 244.3 2,451.0 1975 … … 1,864.8 205.2 2,070.0 1976 … … 1,800.1 204.5 2,004.6 1977 … … 1,835.7 200.3 2,036.0 1978 … … .. .. 2,025.1 1979 (October) .. .. 1,840.4 Industry Act 1972, selective assistance is available to companies in the semiconductor industry, including National Enterprise Board companies, under sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972, and under the Science and Technology Act 1965, provided eligibility criteria are met.