§ Mr. Allen McKayasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the decision of the European Commission on phasing out imports of state subsidised cement from Greece on (a) the 273W British cement industry and (b) the British coal industry; what steps he took to attempt to procure a ban on such imports; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Alan ClarkThe decision will result in a reduction in the level of subsidy by 1 January 1988 from 17 per cent. of export price to 3–6 per cent. It will also enable safeguard action to be taken if the remaining subsidies threaten to cause market disruption. These arrangements should be of considerable benefit to the British cement industry and its supplier, British Coal. There are no grounds for considering a ban on imports.
United Kingdom imports of Portland and white Portland cement (000 tonnes) by country 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 Year ended November 1986 France — 3 — — — 1 6 Belgium/Luxembourg — 5 2 — 1 — — Netherlands — 20 36 120 110 75 74 Germany — 10 25 84 86 50 30 Irish Republic 92 120 126 83 59 104 106 Denmark — — — — — 2 2 Spain — — — 7 43 48 44 East Germany — — 18 42 39 52 77 Poland — — — 16 56 56 98 Greece — — — — — — 18 Norway — — 1 — — — — Japan — — — — — 2 — Portugal — — — — — — 1 Total 92 158 209 352 395 391 456