§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what proposals her Department has for investment aid for the UK coal industry. [78451]
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§ Mr. WilsonWe are currently consulting on the case for an investment aid scheme for the UK coal industry. The consultation document is available via the DTI website at http://www2.dti.gov.uk/support/coal/.
The deadline for comments is 15 November 2002.
§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what the criteria are for applying the temporary operating aid scheme for the UK coal industry. [78452]
§ Mr. WilsonThe general criteria for the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme, as approved by the European Commission in November 2000, are available on the DTI website at www.dti.gov.uk/support/coal
We are also seeking Commission's approval for a targeted extension of the Scheme to the end of this year. The criteria for this extension can be found at http://www2.dti.gov.uk/support/coal/ukcoas ext.pdf
§ Mr. HepburnTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what plans she has to aid the UK coal industry when the temporary operating aid scheme ends. [78453]
§ Mr. WilsonThe new European coal State aid regulation which came into force on 24 July 2002 provides us with the flexibility to pay investment aid for pits that have a viable future. This would allow us to pay up to 30 per cent. of the total costs of the relevant investment project. We are currently consulting on the case for introducing a scheme in the UK to make use of this flexibility.