§ Mr. LevittTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of Britain's national annual need for fluorspar; what proportion he expects to come from the British fluorspar industry; and what assessment he has made of future fluorspar need. [21977]
§ Ms KeebleMy Department has made no assessment of Britain's national need for fluorspar. Statistics published in the UK Minerals Yearbook indicate that, in 1999, some 40,000 tonnes were produced in the UK and estimated that about 43,000 tonnes were imported. It also indicated that about 5,000 tonnes were exported. This suggests that some 78,000 tonnes were used nationally in that year.