§ Mr. Ancramasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Communities Council of Energy Ministers on 21 April.
§ Mr. John MooreI represented the United Kingdom at this meeting. The Council reviewed progress on Community coal policy and agreed that the Commission should bring forward specific proposals covering the use of solid fuels; research and demonstration projects; social measures; and security of supply, linked to support for economic production. These will be considered at the next Council of Energy Ministers, expected in June. I expressed the United Kingdom's strong interest in early and precise proposals, covering financial aspects, both to assist the development of a coherent Community strategy in this area, and also against the background of the United Kingdom's wider European Community budgetary concern.
Recommendations encouraging the use of coal in industry and public buildings were agreed in principle.
The Council discussed recent changes in the oil market and the implications for energy strategy, concluding that policies designed to promote diversification and the more efficient use of energy should be reaffirmed. The Commission will present a review of current policies for discussion at the next Energy Council.
Approval was given to a recommendation concerning the need for gas tariffs to be based on economic principles. I stressed the importance we attach to fairness and clarity in tariffs across the Community, and welcomed an impending review by the Commission of energy pricing practices in member states, and its promise of an early report to the Council.
Proposals by the Commission concerning support for investment in certain types of energy use were remitted for further study in view of doubts about their value by most member states, including the United Kingdom. Agreement was reached that the Commission should consider priority areas for the regulations for energy demonstration projects. They are to indicate the funds which they believe necessary to cover individual categories of these projects and report to the Foreign Affairs Council in May.