HC Deb 30 June 1982 vol 26 cc304-5W
Mr. Austin Mitchell

asked the Minister for Trade what is the rate of European Coal and Steel Community levy on production or sales of iron and steel; what was the total amount collected, respectively, in England, Scotland and Wales in each of the past three years; and how much was received from the European Coal and Steel Community in each of the three countries in each of these years.

Mr. Norman Lamont

I have been asked to reply.

The European Coal and Steel Community—ECSC—levy on coal and steel production is currently set at 0.31 per cent. In ecus per tonne this is assessed for iron and steel as 0.3682 for pig iron, 0.51594 for steel ingots and 0.24191 for finished steel.

Levy payments and some United Kingdom receipts from the ECSC are not broken down for England, Scotland and Wales. Estimated levy payments by steel companies and allocations related to steel of grants and loan interest rebates from the ECSC budget were as follows:

(million pounds)
1979 1980 1981
Levy payments by United Kingdom producers 7.6 4.3 6.4
Allocations of Grants and Interest Rebates
England 5.2 12.4 17.3
Scotland 1.2 0.4 1.0
Wales 1.6 7.8 17.5
Unallocated 1.5 1.6 2.1
United Kingdom Total 9.5 22.2 37.9

In addition, allocations of interest rebates on ECSC reconversion loans for projects which employ either redundant coal or steel workers were as follows:

1979 1980 1981
England 1.1 2.1 0.6
Scotland 0.7 1.6
Wales 1.8 1.9 5.9
Unallocated 3.3 3.0 1.7