HC Deb 09 June 1980 vol 986 cc50-1W
Mr. David Price

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the current capacity of the British shipbuilding industry for commercial and naval vessels, respectively ; and what is the size of each order book

Mr. Michael Marshall

Shipbuilding capacity is difficult to measure, because it depends on the types of ships to be built. Estimates are not available for all British yards, but British Shipbuilders estimates that it has the resources to produce annually about 430,000 compensated gross registered tons of merchant ships and 27,000 displacement tons of naval vessels.

Information on order books is as follows :

the committee to assess performance criteria in the British Steel Corporation.

Sir Keith Joseph

A review committee is to be appointed to decide the level of payments to be made in respect of Mr. Ian MacGregor's performance as chairman of BSC. The membership of the committee will be announced when it has been appointed.

22. Mr. Gregor Mackenzie

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he plans to meet the chairman-designate of the British Steel Corporation.

Sir Keith Joseph

I have met Mr. MacGregor since his appointment as chairman-designate, and expect I shall do so again before he takes over as chairman in July.

Mr. Nicholas Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether any of the views on planning submitted to his Department by Dr. D. Green since 3 May 1979 have been used in connection with the Government's policy towards the British Steel Corporation ; if so, what views were submitted ; and how Dr. Green's planning submissions equate with present Government economic objectives.

Mr. Michael Marshall

Dr. Green recently prepared a report on French policies to promote industrial adjustment. Steel was one of the sector case studies in the report. The report is purely a factual one and contains no views or recommendations on planning.

The Department keeps itself informed of the industrial policies of other major economies. Dr. Green's study is a contribution to that information.