§ Mr. Phillip Oppenheim asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the outcome of the Steel Council on 29–30 October.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonI refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 11 November at columns48–49 to my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Stevens) and to my right hon. Friend's reply of 27 November at columns 877–78 to my hon. Friend the Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Hickmet). In order not to delay the adoption of conclusions which represented a successful outcome for the United Kingdom, I judged it important to give my agreement even though the House had not had the opportunity to debate the proposals in accordance with the 26W Scrutiny Committee's recommendation. I reported to the House at the earliest opportunity in my reply of 11 November.