§ Mr. John Mooreasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current market price per ton of coal in each of the following countries; Great Britain, France, West Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland and Spain.
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§ Mr. Alex EadiePrices of coal delivered to consumers depend on a number of factors including the quality and type of coal required for particular purposes, the distance from the supplying coalfield and sometimes the quantity supplied. It is not therefore possible to give meaningful average market prices for
LIST PRICES* OF REPRESENTATIVE COALS AT THE PIT HEAD AT 1ST JANUARY 1978 £/tonne Germany Belgium France United Kingdom Ruhr Aachen Saar Nord Lorraine South Wales Scotland North Yorkshire Anthracite (20–30mm) 57.25 — — 55.28 46.04 — 39.00 — — Low volatile coal (20–30mm) 54.82 54.64 — 53.72 — — 33.35 — — Coking coal 42.57 44.64 46.09 32.78 37.27 39.46 37.93 31.01 28.76 High volatile coal (30–50mm) 41.36 — 46.57 38.15 — 27.41 — 29.54 24.96 * Excluding VAT, where applicable. Source: Commission of the European Communities, Carnet de prix charbon No. 22(1).
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the prices for coal entering the EEC market from the United States of America, South Africa, Australia, Poland and the United Kingdom, the quantities imported by each State for the most recent year for which figures are available, and other cross-frontier movements of indigenous coal output within the Community.
§ Mr. EadieThe average values per tonne—cif—of coal imported into the United Kingdom in 1977 from the United States of America, South Africa, Australia and Poland were £39.81, £39.06, £27.14 and £33.43 respectively. Corresponding
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Thousand tonnes Of which, from:— Total USA South Africa Australia Poland Germany … … … … 5,633 1,523 748 637 1,948 France … … … … … 15,048 1,837 4,754 2,229 5,026 Italy … … … … … 9,850 3,800 1,000 1,200 3,000 Netherlands … … … … 3,835 1,494 161 923 754 Belgium … … … … … 3,157 1,427 454 275 595 Luxembourg … … … … 142 0 135 — — United Kingdom … … … 1,617 441 6 845 151 Ireland … … … … … 630 — 6 — 624 Denmark … … … … 4,574 91 384 49 2,584 Source: Statistical Office of the European Communities, Coal, Monthly Bulletin 4–1978 all coal supplied to consumers in different countries. The following table shows list prices of reference qualities of coal at the pit head in certain coalfields of the major coal producing countries of the EEC. No coal is currently produced in Holland and corresponding figures for Spain and Poland are not available.
information about the average values of coal imported from these four countries by other member States of the Community is not readily available. In the same year, the average values per tonne—fob—of coal exported by the United Kingdom to other States of the Community were:
£ £ Germany 18.90 Belgium and Luxembourg 24.76 France 20.58 Italy 25.24 Ireland 29.73 Netherlands 22.22 Denmark 17.31 In 1977 the total quantities of coal imported by member States from third party countries were:
335WStatistical Office of the European Communities has provided the following
Thousand tonnes Importing country Exporting country Germany France Italy Netherlands Belgium Luxembourg United Kingdom Ireland Denmark Germany — 5,010 2,212 786 3,111 292 206 10 895 France 334 — 24 4 69 30 24 — — Netherlands 201 7 — — 3 1 349 — — Belgium 222 37 — 2 — 42 186 10 — United Kingdom 486 795 5 151 135 18 — 160 91 Ireland 1 — — 1 — — 44 — — N.B.—The figures include transhipments in some cases
§ Mr. George Grantasked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has had with the EEC to increase coal exports from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. EadieAt its next meeting on 30th May, the Energy Council will be discussing a proposal for a scheme of aid on intra-Community sales of power station coal. The scheme is aimed at assisting the Community coal industry to expand its sales to the power station market and, if it can be agreed, should be of great help to the NCB in meeting competition from third country importers.