asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the wage cost of producing a ton of steel in the United Kingdom compared with other European Economic Community countries and the United States of America and Japan.
The British Steel Corporation's total employment cost of producing a tonne of liquid steel was £50 in the financial year 1984–85. Comparable data is not available for the United Kingdom as a whole, for other EC countries, the USA or Japan.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the ratio of (a) wages and (b) fuel and power to the price of finished steel in the United Kingdom compared with other European Economic Community countries and to the United States of America.
This information is not readily available.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the cost of making basic iron and steel consists of (a) repayment of capital and interest, (b) depreciation, (c) bought-in materials, (d) other overhead charges including labour overheads and (e) variable labour charges.
The available information is as follows:
| The percentage of BSC costs of iron and steel making accounted for by: | 1984–85 per cent. |
| (a) Repayment of long-term loans and interest | 7 |
| (b) Depreciation | 2 |
| (c) Raw materials and consumables | 50 |
| (d) Fuels, utilities, hire charges and carriage costs | 15 |
| (e) Wages and salaries and other employment costs | 21 |
| (f) Other operating charges | 5 |
Source: British Steel Corporation, Report and Accounts 1984–85.