§ 35. Mr. Beithasked the Secretary of State for Industry whether any salary or fees will be paid to the chairman or other members of the committee which is to review the performance of Mr. Ian MacGregor and the amounts to be paid to Lazard Frères; and what the total cost will be to public funds of this committee.
§ Sir Keith JosephIt is not intended that the chairman or members of the review committee will receive any salary, but it may be that certain of them will receive fees. The Department of Industry has agreed to pay the reasonable fees of United Kingdom-resident members of the committee and the reasonable expenses incurred by the members of the committee in attending meetings. No estimate has been made of the likely total cost to public funds of this committee.
§ Mr. Arthur Lewisasked the Secretary of State for Industry to what extent he discussed with the trades unions in the industry the appointment of the new chairman of the British Steel Corporation board.
§ Sir Keith JosephMr. Sirs, chairman of the TUC steel committee and general secretary of the ISTC, was told on 27 February that I would welcome any suggestions he might have about possible candidates, and on 11 March that I would be content to discuss with him the question of the chairmanship in general terms. Mr. Sirs replied on 23 April, by which time negotiations for the appointment of Mr. MacGregor were almost complete.
§ Mr. Cryerasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state the statutory authority, and the Vote which authorises 337W the arrangements reached for the employment of Mr. MacGregor as the new chairman of British Steel.
§ Sir Keith Joseph[pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1980, c. 281]: Mr. MacGregor's salary, first as deputy chairman and then as chairman of the British Steel Corporation, will be paid by the corporation as provided for in paragraph 7 of schedule 1 to the Iron and Steel Act 1975. For the first payment to Lazard Frères due on 1 July, parliamentary approval will be sought by means of a Supplementary Estimate under a new sub-head in the Central and Miscellaneous Services (Department of Industry) Vote (Class IV, Vote 24). Authority for payment will rest on the Estimate and on the confirming Consolidated Fund Act. Pending that approval the necessary expenditure will be met by repayable advances from the Contingency Fund. Authority for any subsequent payments to Lazard Frères related to performance will similarly rest on the estimate and the confirming Consolidated Fund Act.
STEEL PRODUCTION IN 1979 Steel production Million tonnes Chairman's salary £/Year MAJOR EEC STEEL PRODUCERS British Steel … … … United Kingdom … … 17.5 48,500 in 1980 Thyssen … … … West Germany … … 13.5 n. i.* Finsider … … … Italy … … … … 12.4 n. i. Usinor … … … France … … … … 9.4 n. i. Hoesch-Werke West Germany … … 6.0 n. i. Hoogovens Estel … Netherlands … … … 5.5 n. i. MAJOR OECD STEEL PRODUCERS (OTHER THAN EEC) Nippon Steel … … … Japan … … … … 33.5 U.S. Steel … … … United States of America … 27.0 242,000 in 1978† Bethlehem … … … United States of America … 17.6 362,000 in 1978 Nippon Kokan … … Japan … … … … 14.1 n. i. Kawasaki … … … Japan … … … … 12.9 n. i. Sumitomo … … … Japan … … … … 12.9 n. i. Jones & Laughlin … … United States of America … 10.4 207,000 in 1978 National Steel … … United States of America … 9.7 285,000 in 1978 Republic Steel … … United States of America … 9.1 248,000 in 1978 Broken Hill … … … Australia … … … 8.1 n. i. Kobe Steel … … … Japan … … … … 7.6 n. i. Inland Steel … … … United States of America … 7.5 221,000 in 1978 Armco … … … United States of America … 7.3 249,000 in 1978 Stelco … … … … Canada … … … 5.3 n. i. * n. i.=No information readily available on salaries of senior executives in the other major EEC-OECD steel companies listed. † Salaries in dollars converted to £ at average rate of exchange prevailing in 1978 $1.92=£1.00.