§ Mr. Austin Mitchellasked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the percentage increase in production capacity and in the production of steel in the United Kingdom and principal steel-making countries since 1973.
§ Mr. Wakehamthe available information is as follows:
462WThe total production capacity of all the principal steel making countries is not known.
The production of steel in the United Kingdom and principal steel-making countries has decreased from 617.2 million tonnes in 1973 to 608.3 million tonnes in 1980, which is a decrease of 1½ per cent. The shares by country are as follows:
Share of Production by Principal Steel-Making Countries* Percentage 1973 1980 Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 21.3 24.5 Japan 19.3 18.3 United States of America 22.1 16.7 West Germany 8.00 7.2 China 4.1 6.1 Italy 3.4 4.4 France 4.1 3.8 Poland 2.3 3.3 Canada 2.2 2.6 Brazil 1.2 2.5 Czechoslovakia 2.1 2.4 Romania 1.3 2.2 Spain 1.7 2.1 Belgium 2.5 2.0 United Kingdom 4.3 †l.9 All principal steel-making countries 100.0 100.0 *Taken as countries whose crude steel production exceeded 10 million tonnes in 1980 † Steel production in the United Kingdom in 1980 was reduced by the effect of the steel strike. The corresponding United Kingdom share in 1979 was 3.4 per cent. Source: International Iron and Steel Institute.
§ Mr. Hooleyasked the Secretary of State for Industry what information he has as to the levels of world production of steel in each of the years from 1974 to 1980, with some estimate for 1981, including United Kingdom production.
§ Mr. WakehamThe information is as follows:
World Production of Crude Steel Million tonnes 1974 709.0 1975 645.4 1976 676.4 1977 675.4 1978 717.0 1979 747.4 1980 717.5 1981 713.0* * Estimate. Source: International Iron and Steel Institute.