HC Deb 29 November 1976 vol 921 cc465-7
13. Mr. Marten

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the Common Market energy policy.

Mr. Benn

The development of a Community energy policy has been slow, but the general discussion in the Energy Council of 19th October gives grounds for hoping that progress may be made in a number of fields at the next Energy Council.

Mr. Marten

Does that mean that at the moment there is not a coherent energy policy to deal with the crisis which, according to the Commission, may arise in 1985? On the more imminent question of the possible price increase, is Community policy geared towards that and to what extent is it influenced by the German disagreement over the Paris North-South Conference which is going on at the moment?

Mr. Benn

Progress has been slow. There are a number of reasons, but the one which may have been a major factor is that one has to build an energy policy on a building block basis—by taking account of the interests of those who are concerned—just as an energy policy at home has to be built upon the interests concerned. During the period of the presidency which begins in January I am hoping that we shall be able to play a constructive rôlewith perhaps rather greater openness than there has been before.

There are a number of problems, all of them quite difficult, including ther ôle of coal, the minimum support price and other matters. But the House should know that the United Kingdom invest ment in energy is overwhelmingly the most important of the whole Community. Twenty-seven ner cent. of all Community investment in energy is United Kingdom investment. Thirty-three per cent. of all coal investment is United Kingdom investment and 51 per cent. of all oil investment is United Kingdom investment. In playing a constructive rôle I hope that our contribution will be appreciated.

Mr. Welsh

What restrictions does the Common Market energy policy place on the Government's direction of oil-related contracts to Scottish and United Kingdom firms?

Mr. Benn

The House will know, as will the hon. Gentleman, that we do not direct contracts. We aim to have a full and fair system, under which British firms have the opportunity to compete on equal terms. Some questions have been raised about this, but the policies are non-discriminatory. As was said in answer to an earlier question, we have secured a much bigger share of the market in the United Kingdom. Most of the firms in Scotland, and, indeed, in other Community countries, have similarly increased their share, largely at the expense of suppliers from elsewhere.

Mr. Skinner

Will my right hon. Friend tell the Ministers in the Common Market that the events which have occurred since the referendum have confirmed what he said about our entry being a disaster? Will my right hon. Friend tell them that so impoverished are we as a nation, as a result of our being inside the Common Market, and because we currently have an incomes policy—which is also a disister—that British miners cannot be retired, because they must have 25 years' service underground? Compared with the West Germans, the Belgians, the French and even the Spanish we are at the bottom of this retirement league.

Mr. Benn

My hon. Friend was in the House earlier when, in answering a question, I drew attention to the fact that retirement for miners is possible down to the age of 50 in some countries, with 25 or 20 years' underground service. This is a factor which lies behind the miners' demand for an early retirement scheme in this country. In respect of the Community energy policy, many countries in the Community appreciate that, whatever our short-term economic difficulties may be, we are the largest supplier of energy in the Comunity and there will be—

Mr. Skinner

They are not miners.

Mr. Benn

In the case of coal, cheap Polish and South African coal imports are coming in.

Mr. Skinner

What are you doing?

Mr. Benn

I am raising this matter in order to secure a market. I have discussed it with the Polish Minister and with the National Coal Board, and I raised it at the last Energy Council, on 16th October. All this depends on our being able to get, and make more progress on, policy.

Mr. Skinner

It is all waffle.