§ Ms GordonTo ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the import quota for steel from the Commonwealth of Independent States for the European Community for 1993; what proportion of this quota has been allocated to the United Kingdom; and what is the expected United Kingdom quota for 1993.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe European Community quota of 321,000 tonnes for steel imports in 1993 from the former Soviet Union (excluding the Baltic states) covers only heavy plate, coils, other flat-rolled products, beams and wire rods. All other products are liberalised. The quota is148W administered in three tranches, the distribution within each of which depends on the number of licence applications made and on past trade patterns. United Kingdom importers' share in total of the first and second tranches is 15,541 tonnes. It is not yet possible to determine what the total quantities available to United Kingdom importers for the year as a whole will be.