§ Mr. Berminghamasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what information he has on the current maximum steel making capacity of both the public and private sectors in the United Kingdom;
(2) what information he has on the current percentage of capacity in use in the United Kingdom steel industry;
(3) what information he has on the current production for export of the United Kingdom steel industry;
(4) what information he has on the current production for home consumption of the United Kingdom steel industry; and what information he has on the estimate of steel tonnages to be used in each of the proposed channel tunnel or bridge schemes in each of the years of construction.
§ Mr. ButcherThe following is the available information:
United Kingdom crude steel production Million tonnes 1985 Maximum possible production as at 1 January 1985* 23.7 Estimated annual production† 15.8 Capacity utilization 67 per cent. * Source: "ECSC Investment in the Community coalmining and iron and steel industries". … Based on the figures for January to October 1985.
Finished steel products Million tonnes January to September 1985 United Kingdom producers deliveries to the United Kingdom home market 6.8 United Kingdom producers exports 3.0 Other exports from United Kingdom 0.6 Total United Kingdom exports 3.6 Estimates of steel tonnages for the Channel crossings were included in the confidential proposals submitted to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport on 31 October 1985 by the four promoters of a fixed Channel link and these proposals are now being assessed.