§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the dates when, with steel as the principal topic, he has met delegations from steelworkers and other organisations in Scotland.
§ Mr. LangDuring the last six months, my right hon. and learned Friend met a delegation of Ravenscraig shop stewards on 30 November 1989, a delegation of Scottish Labour Members of Parliament on 7 December 1989, and representatives of Strathclyde regional council and the Scottish Trades Union Congress on 8 January 1990.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list with dates the meetings he has had, or any of his Ministers or senior officials have had, with the chief executive or other board members of British Steel since privatisation.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. and learned Friend met the chairman of British Steel on 26 October 1988. He met the chairman again, with his chief executive, on 26 October 1989.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he, any of his Ministers, or senior officials had discussions with British Steel about its current capital investment programme before that programme was finalised.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has formulated an official policy on the issue of a single plate mill strategy in the steel industry.
§ Mr. LangThe issue of a single plate mill strategy is a matter for British Steel. My right hon. and learned Friend has made clear his view that the company should give full and careful consideration to the case for investment in Scotland.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart) of 28 February,Official Report, column 272, whether on 26 October 1989, or in the continuing contacts mentioned by him in Official Report, column 271, he raised with the chairman of British Steel its investment programme and future intentions towards Ravenscraig;
(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan of 28 February, Official Report, column 600W 271, whether in his discussions with the chairman of British Steel on 26 October 1989 he raised the future of Dalziel works;
(3) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan of 28 February, Official Report, column 271, whether on 26 October 1989 the chairman of British Steel informed him that a plate mill was stored at Lackenby;
(4) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan of 28 February, Official Report, column 271, whether on 26 October 1989 he discussed with British Steel's chairman the issue of a single plate mill strategy;
(5) where his meeting was held with the chairman of British Steel on 26 October 1989; and how long the meeting lasted.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. and learned Friend's meeting with the chairman of British Steel was held in his office in Whitehall; it lasted about an hour. The detailed matters discussed are commercially confidential.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan of 28 February,Official Report, column 271, whether the continuing contact with British Steel since last October has been at ministerial or official level.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan of 28 February,Official Report, column 271, what specific issues his Department has raised with British Steel in its continuing contact with that organisation.
§ Mr. LangThe detailed matters raised by my right hon. and learned Friend's Department with British Steel are commercially confidential.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what correspondence he has received from British Steel since his meeting with the chairman of British Steel on 26 October.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. and learned Friend has received two letters from the chairman of British Steel, the contents of which are commercially confidential.
§ Mr. SillarsTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he received information from British Steel about(a) its intention to impose a production pause on Ravenscraig over the Christmas and new year holiday period, and (b) the latest production pause to be imposed on Ravenscraig.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. and learned Friend's officials received information from British Steel on 22 November 1989 about the first production pause and on 20 February 1990 about the latest production pause.