§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on(a) the decision by the US Government to impose tariffs on steel imports and (b) the impact on the UK steel industry of the decision; and what assistance she will provide to the UK steel industry. [41863]
§ Mr. WilsonI refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made to the House on 6 March 2002,Official Report, columns 307–19.
The direct impact on the UK steel industry of the additional US tariffs on their steel imports is likely to be a marked reduction in the approximately 300,000 tonnes
688W
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 21 March 2002]: Information on the regional basis requested is not available. The table shows the different types of insolvency for each year from 1997 to 2001 for England and Wales.
of UK steel exports to the United States. The indirect impact of US imports being deflected to the EU is of potentially greater significance.
The Department works closely with the UK steel industry to provide support to improve the sector's competitiveness, for example through the Metals Industry Competitiveness Enterprise and the National Metals Technology Centre.
§ Mr. EdwardsTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the impact of US tariffs on the import of steel on the steel industry in south-east Wales; and what action she intends to take. [41866]
§ Mr. WilsonThe direct impact on the UK steel industry of the additional US tariffs on their steel imports is likely to be a marked reduction in the approximately 300,000 tonnes of UK steel exports to the United States. The indirect impact of US imports being deflected to the EU is of potentially greater significance.
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, set out the Government's reaction to the US measure in her statement to the House on 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 307–19.