§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list the meetings held by Ministers and his 11W Department with members of the European Economic Community Commission and the European Coal and Steel Community since January 1985 on the proposed new Community rules for state aids to the coal industry;
(2) what powers he has to stop the introduction of the new European Economic Community Commission rules for state aids to the coal industry.
§ Mr. David HuntThe European Commission proposal, COM (85) 525, sets out a new regime to permit the payment of state aids to the coal industry without infringing the ECSC treaty. This replaces the existing decision of 1976.
The United Kingdom has no reason to oppose the introduction of a continuing regime of this kind without which all state aids to the coal industry would become illegal.
My right hon. Friend's objective in the negotiations currently under way in the Council of Ministers is to ensure that the new regime give maximum flexibility to individual member states in the challenging task of creating sound and economically viable coal industries which can compete in the world market.
The proposed regime has been discussed at the following meetings of the European Communities: by Ministers at the Energy Council of 11 November 1985 and by officials at the high level energy group of 29 October 1985 and at the following ECSC working groups:
- 22 October 1985
- 26 November 1985
- 9 December 1985
- 13/14 January 1986
- 27/28 January 1986
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has made to the European Economic Community Commission and the European Coal and Steel Community in reply to their new Community energy objectives, in particular the elimination of certain existing types of aids to the British coal industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. David HuntThe proposed new Community energy objectives have been discussed twice by the Council of Energy Ministers. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has argued that the new objectives should be seen as markers, not as prescriptive targets. The draft objectives do not propose the elimination of aids to the coal industry.