§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade whether the price of imported coal has risen as a result of the fall in the value of pound sterling against the dollar; and if he will impose an anti-dumping duty where prices have not been raised in line with the fall in the exchange rate.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 27 October 1992]: Imported coal is priced in dollars. The price in pound sterling of a consignment of imported coal will therefore increase pro rata with the fall in the value of the pound against the dollar. The European Commission may impose anti-dumping duties where there is substantive evidence of products being sold at a dumped price to the material injury of Community producers.
§ Mr. MaddenTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will set out in tabular form those countries which export coal to the United Kingdom, showing for each of the last five years the coal imported by volume and value; what action he or his predecessors took over the same period to substitute British coal for imported coal; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 29 October 1992]: The figures requested are given in the table. Over the past five years, the Government have encouraged and assisted British Coal to improve productivity and reduce costs so as to become competitive with imported coal. Since 1985–86 much progress has been made—British Coal has more than doubled productivity—but its international competitors have also improved productivity and further cost reductions are needed to attain full competitiveness with imported coal.
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Country of origin 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 Germany2 26 18 24 24 21 Others1 28 19 26 8 15 Total 268 418 470 605 703 Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown. 1 Some imports previously recorded by Customs and Excise as originating in the Netherlands have been re-allocated to the other countries indicated or, where revised country of origin data is not available, included in the residual entry "Others". This re-allocation has been carried out for 1991 and estimates of such imports previously classified to the Netherlands have been included for 1990. Figures for earlier years have not been re-allocated to individual countries. 2 Includes imports previously recorded separately for the German Democratic Republic. Source: Customs and Excise.
§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a table showing total imports of coal by volume and value in each of the past five years and the current year to date, the tonnage imported through
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Port of Entry 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 11992 Total quantity of coal imports Thousand tonnes Med way 556 565 652 855 1,989 2,249 Immingham 669 999 1,268 2,182 3,177 2,206 Middlesbrough 2,501 2,570 2,812 2,385 2,894 1,914 Port Talbot 1,958 1,997 2,610 2,885 2,655 1,716 London (inc. Tilbury) 538 743 782 2,104 3,016 1,596 Greenock 1,216 1,164 1,162 1,027 1,209 1,363 Liverpool 65 31 286 948 1,308 1,152 Belfast 172 192 182 332 387 536 Hull 19 1 44 152 416 322 Cardiff 222 294 229 410 441 292 Swansea — 92 134 162 422 140 Others 1,865 3,036 1,975 1,340 1,527 983 Total 9,781 11,685 12,137 14,783 19,491 14,469 Total value of coal imports2 £ million Med way 23 24 29 41 79 74 Immingham 22 31 47 85 112 76 Middlesbrough 86 79 96 104 95 64 Port Talbot 69 65 87 112 93 60 London (inc. Tilbury) 22 31 34 80 101 51 Greenock 41 35 38 37 39 39 Liverpool 6 1 13 36 35 34 Belfast 10 12 14 21 23 22 Hull 1 — 2 4 14 10 Cardiff 9 13 9 17 20 10 Swansea — 4 7 6 16 5 Others 80 122 92 64 77 48 Total 368 418 470 605 703 492 Quantity of imports of steam coal3 Medway 555 563 651 854 1,938 2,249 Immingham 156 249 286 314 758 447 Middlesbrough 8 — 48 119 168 242 Port Talbot 1 — 1 — — — London (including Tilbury) 525 742 762 1,971 3,016 1,591 Greenock — 60 112 144 314 932 Liverpool 14 31 139 761 1,308 1,152 Belfast 76 55 27 134 187 435 Hull 16 — 44 152 416 278 Cardiff 1 3 7 34 105 108 Swansea — — 17 90 53 30 Others 1,364 2,095 1,281 928 949 690 Total 2,716 3,799 3,374 5,501 9,210 8,153 Value of imports of steam coal2 3 £ million Medway 23 24 28 41 77 74 Immingham 5 7 11 9 22 13 Middlesbrough — — 2 4 5 7 Port Talbot — — — — — — London (including Tilbury) 21 31 32 74 101 51 Greenock — 1 3 3 8 23 each port of entry, the value and volume in each case of tonnage suitable for use in power stations and the nearest power stations
§ Mr. Eggar[holding answer 29 October 1992]: The information requested is as follows:
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Port of Entry 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 11992 Liverpool — 1 6 28 35 34 Belfast 3 2 2 6 9 15 Hull — — 2 4 14 9 Cardiff — — — 1 3 3 Swansea — — 1 3 2 1 Others 42 71 47 34 37 25 Total 95 139 132 207 312 254 Because of rounding the sum of the constituent items may not agree with the totals shown. 1 January to August. 2 Includes costs of insurance and freight. 3 Steam coal is the type of coal used in power stations, but it is also used by industrial, domestic and other consumers. Source: Customs and Excise.
Nearest power stations (coal-fired) Medway Kingsnorth Immingham West Burton Middlesbrough Blyth Port Talbot Aberthaw London (inc. Tilbury) Tilbury, West Thurrock Greenock Kindcardine, Longannet Liverpool Fiddler's Ferry Belfast West Belfast Hull Drax Cardiff Aberthaw Swansea Aberthaw