§ Mr. John EvansTo ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the annual Government subsidies to the British nuclear and coal industries for each year since 1982; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EggarThe amount of financial support given to the coal industry by Government since 1982–83 is as follows—outturn prices:
£ million 1982–83 521 1983–84 1,146 1984–85 2,414 1985–86 563 1986–87 882 1987–88 677 1988–89 297 1989–90 7,243 1990–91 141 1991–92 448 No Government subsidies have been paid to Nuclear Electric plc or BNFL. Both these companies are recipients of the fossil fuel levy paid by electricity suppliers. The Government have, however, been the customer for research and development and other programmes undertaken by the Atomic Energy Authority and have funded those programmes and the consequences of those programmes.
Ministerial responsibility for Scottish Nuclear Limited rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.