HC Deb 28 February 1995 vol 255 cc488-9W
Mr. MacShane

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the United Kingdom steel crude industry and the engineering steel industry is under the control of British Steel following the British Steel purchase of GKN's interest in United Engineering Steels.

Mr. Page

Based on tonnage output, British Steel produced approximately 75 per cent. of all UK crude steel produced last year. British Steel and UES together, based on last year's figures, would increase the percentage to approximately 82.5 per cent. with a similar figure for UK engineering steel production. However, the situation is fluid as output this year is increasing at present around 3 to 4 per cent.

UK imports of steel1
000 tonnes
1990 per cent, of total 1991 per cent, of total 1992 per cent, of total 1993 per cent, of total
Germany 1,306 24.1 1,719 30.8 1,490 27.3 1,342 27.3
Italy 264 4.9 275 4.9 303 5.5 306 6.2
France 556 10.3 779 14.0 795 14.5 673 13.7
Spain 396 7.3 391 7.0 406 7.4 340 6.9
Former USSR 14 0.3 10 0.2 62 1.1 90 1.8
Poland 75 1.4 67 1.2 67 1.2 52 1.1
Czech Republic and Slovakia 38 0.7 25 0.4 62 1.1 50 1.0
USA 31 0.6 53 1.0 58 1.1 43 0.9
Other 2,731 50.5 2,257 40.5 2,222 40.7 2,022 41.1
World total 5,411 100 5,576 100 5,465 100 4,917 100

Source:

Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.

Note:

1 Products of the steel industry in the Standard Industrial Classification (1980), Groups 221, 222 and 223.