§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will examine the prices of imported coal within the Community to establish any variations which may exist or be developing.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerMy Department receives regular information on the price of imported coal in European Community countries. The average price of coal imports into the United Kingdom is currently higher than that of imports into other Community countries as a high proportion of United Kingdom imports are of premium quality coking rather than steam coal. In addition, United Kingdom imports of steam coal usually have to be transshipped from deep water ports on the Continent and this adds to their cost.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, in planning the future arrangements to secure British energy supplies, he has taken into account the likelihood of changes in the value of sterling.
§ Mr. WakehamThe Government seek to ensure that the United Kingdom has adequate, diverse and secure supplies of energy in the forms that people want at the lowest realistic prices. We aim to achieve this wherever possible by ensuring that energy prices reflect their true economic costs and by subjecting as much of energy supply to market forces as is feasible. We believe that this approach provides the flexibility to bring about any necessary adjustment of the energy economy in response to outside influences, of which the value of sterling would be one.
§ Mr. HardyTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what advice he has given to the electricity industry in regard to any development of dependency upon imported coal.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerNone. Coal purchases are a commercial matter for the CEGB.