HC Deb 24 November 1993 vol 233 cc87-8W
23. Mr. Roy Hughes

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent discussions he has had with his EC counterparts with a view to eliminating state subsidies throughout the steel industry.

Mr. Sainsbury

At the Industry Council on 18 November, I stressed the importance of eliminating operating cost subsidies throughout the EC steel industry. The Council was unable to reach agreement on six requests for derogations from the steel state aids code. The formal conclusions of the 21 September Industry Council had confirmed the obligation to apply this code, and made particular reference to eliminating cost subsidies.