§ Mr. Marlowasked the Secretary of State for Energy when the Council of the European Communities will act on the Commission's proposal to raise the ceiling of the Euratom loans scheme.
§ Mr. Norman LamontAt its meeting on 20 December 1979, the Council agreed to raise the ceiling from 500 meua to 1,000 meua. The Select Committee on European Legislation had recommended that the proposal be considered by the House in the context of a general debate on EEC energy matters. I will be consulting my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster with a view to arranging the debate as soon as possible. Her Majesty's Government allowed the decision to be adopted in advance of a debate in order to avoid delaying the granting of loans to United Kingdom and other applicants.