§ Mr. Teddy Taylorasked the Minister for Trade what was the total volume of steel imports from the European Economic Community and the rest of the world, respectively, in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures for each of the previous 10 years; and if he will publish a table showing European Economic Community and rest of the world imports as percentages of steel imports in each of the years concerned.
§ Mr. Peter Rees[pursuant to the reply, 21 October 1982, c. 171]Annual figures and the latest available information for 1982 are as follows:
United Kingdom imports of steel industry products '000 tonnes Percentage from From EC From non-EC countries EC Non-EC countries *1972 1,191 1,470 45 55 1973 1,534 1,244 55 45 1974 2,744 1,053 72 28 †1975 2,587 1,133 70 30 †1976 2,597 1,508 64 36 1977 2,342 1,391 63 37 1978 2,241 1,441 61 39 1979 2,354 1,443 62 38 ‡1980 3,068 1,572 66 34 1981 2,515 824 76 24 January to July 1982 1,631 834 67 33 Sources: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.
Notes:
* The EC figures for 1972 do not include Greece. The effect is likely to be very small.
† Figures from 1976 are compiled on a country of origin basis. The EC figures from 1976 include very small amounts of imports which are classified as having originated in the United Kingdom. This covers steel 394W which has been exported from the United Kingdom and re-imported without having undergone further processing. Figures prior to 1976 are on the basis of country from which goods were last consigned. This change accounts for roughly one half of the movement in the percentages between 1975 and 1976.
‡ The level of imports in 1980 was affected by the steel dispute.