HC Deb 03 February 1997 vol 289 cc510-1W
Mr. Llew Smith

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the total quantities of coal imported last year by country indicating the primary ports used for import. [13320]

Mr. Page

Latest available data for the quantities of coal imported into the United Kingdom cover the period January to September 1996 and are as follows:

Thousand tonnes
European Union1 324
Non European Union 12,439
Total 12,763
1 Includes extra EU coal routed through the Netherlands.

Imports of coal into the United Kingdom for 1995 by country are as follows:

Thousand tonnes
European Union1 283
Australia 3,641
Canada 1,364
Columbia 2,687
Czech Republic 2
Estonia 59
India 9
Indonesia 65
Norway 2
People's Republic of China 77
Poland 1,274
Republic of South Africa 1,313
Russia 160
United States of America 4,858
Vietnam 101
Total 15,896
1 Includes extra EU coal routed through the Netherlands.

From the information available the following ports have been used in 1996 for the import of coal:

  • Southampton
  • Newport (Gwent)
  • Cardiff
  • Swansea
  • Goole
  • Immingham
  • Ipswich
  • Belfast
  • Londonderry
  • Warrenpoint
  • Port Talbot
  • Middlesbrough
  • London (including Tilbury)
  • Thamesport
  • Avonmouth
  • Liverpool
  • Felixstowe
  • Great Yarmouth

Quantities of coal imported through each port are not available because details have been suppressed by HM Customs and Excise to maintain commercial confidentiality.

Source: HM Customs and Excise.