§ 39. Mr. Roy Hughesasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the current situation within the steel industry.
§ Mr. Peter MorrisonThe United Kingdom steel industry, once heavily subsidised and inefficient, is now among the most competitive in Europe. Since 1979 productivity has improved by 94 per cent., a remarkable transformation. Prospects for the future, for both the British Steel Corporation and private sector steel
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§ Mr. ButcherProvisional data suggest that manufacturing output in the three months to February 1986 (the latest available) was 1 per cent. higher than in 1984. Manufacturing output has shown uninterrupted growth since 1981 and is 11.5 per cent. up on the 1981 first quarter trough. A further 3 per cent. growth is expected this year.