§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list by activities those businesses within the British Steel Corporation which are competing with United Kingdom-based independent steel producers.
§ Mr. Michael MarshallThe following BSC businesses compete significantly with United Kingdom-based independent steel producers:
Products BSC Plant Some semi-finished steels Scunthorpe, Rotherham, Sheffield Rotherham, Sheffield, Light sections and straight bars Wolverhampton, Warrington Wire rods and coiled bars Scunthorpe, Rotherham Reinforcing bars Scunthorpe, Rotherham Clydesdale, Hartlepool, Corby, Midlands Tubes and pipes Midlands Cold rolled strip in coil (limited extent) Whitehead, Rotherham Much of the overlap in wire rod and reinforcing bar should be absorbed by the new joint public/private venture, Allied Steel and Wire Ltd.
§ Mr. Gryllsasked the Secretary of State for Industry what information he has of the profits or deficits for the major steel companies in the member countries of the European Economic Community, Japan and the United States of America for the last three financial years and of details of Government financial assistance to steel companies in these countries.
§ Mr. Michael MarshallAccounts of the major steel companies are published in the normal way. Information on governmental financial assistance to steel companies in the European Community was published by the British Iron and Steel Consumers Council on 4 March.