§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the volume (I imports of (a) high speed steels, (b) tool steels and stainless steel bars in 1979; and how this compares with the figures for 1978 and 1977.
§ Mr. ParkinsonThe available information is as follows:
I Bars and rods (including wire rod) of high-speed steel
Tonnes January-November 1977 1978 1979 4,251 4,305 4,173 II Bars and rods (excluding wire rod) of stainless or heat-resisting steel and of other alloy steel* (including tool, die and magnet steel).
Tonnes January-November 1977 1978 1979 48,897 53,575 61,174 * Excludes high-speed, free-cutting, mangano-silicon and clad or surface-worked steel. Notes:
(1) Tool steel is not separately distinguished in the Overseas Trade Statistics but (with the exception of carbon tool steel) is included with figures for other alloy steel.
(2) Owing to changes in the detailed classification of the trade statistics, the figures for 1978 and 1979 are not strictly comparable with those for 1977, but the discrepancy is believed to be small.