HC Deb 26 January 1998 vol 305 cc64-5W
Mr. Redwood

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the role of Her Majesty's Treasury in negotiating a recent agreement between a mining company and a generator; and on what previous occasions the Treasury has negotiated similar agreements. [24767]

Mrs. Beckett

Government have worked closely as a team on coal industry matters in recent months and the Paymaster General was able to help in facilitating discussions between the parties concerned. Ministers have acted as facilitators not negotiators.