§ Mr. David PorterTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the rules governing the import and export of steel for British manufacturing companies with subsidiaries in(a) EC countries and (b) non-EC countries with particular reference to the end-user costs.
§ Mr. LeighSteel prices within the European Community are governed by the pricing rules in articles 60 to 64 of the treaty of Paris. These rules are enforced by the European Commission and impose certain constraints on producers' pricing policies. However, producers are still free to compete on price. Hence prices for a given product will vary across the Community and within any individual member state, for example: on the basis of the range of products and services provided; on whether metric or imperial standards are involved; and on whether sales are direct from the mill or through a stockholder.