HC Deb 02 February 1983 vol 36 cc133-4W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Minister for Trade what information he has as to the Governments within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development which stockpile metals crucial to steel production; what are the metals stockpiled; and if he will indicate the cover provided in the United States of America, Japan and the United Kingdom.

Mr. MacGregor

I have been asked to reply.

With the exception of the Government of the United States details of Government stockpiles within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development have not been released by the Governments concerned. The metals stockpiled by the United States are given in the stockpile reports to the congress made by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Japan and the United Kingdom do not have Government stockpiles of metals needed by the steel industry although the Japanese Government have announced their intention to introduce a five-year national stockpiling programme for strategic metals, and subsidise some private sector stocks.

Mr. Skeet

asked the Minister for Trade what information he has as to how much, and what tonnage, of the metals critical to the steel industry is mined either by British companies or by international consortia in which British companies have a substantial stake.

Mr. MacGregor

I have been asked to reply.

The information is not available in the form requested but the annual capacity for such materials of mines in which United Kingdom companies have substantial interests is:

tonnes
Iron ore 60 million
Molybdenum 14,500
Nickel 29,000
Chromium (charge) 120,000
Wolfram (tungsten) 1,700

United Kingdom companies have no significant interests in the production of manganese, vanadium or niobium.