HL Deb 12 May 1999 vol 600 cc150-1WA
Lord Stoddart of Swindon

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they can confirm the accuracy of the statement by the Romanian Miners' Leader (Mr. Miron Cozna) that the 35 per cent. rise in miners' wages will be financed by the European Union; and, if so, whether such use of European Union funds is legal. [HL2252]

Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean

The statement attributed to Mr. Cozna is inaccurate. The European Union is providing assistance to Romania to support economic and institutional reform, as it is doing to all the candidates in the EU Accession Process. Some of this assistance is directed at mitigating the impact of restructuring the loss-making mining sector, for example by helping miners prepare for re-employment outside the mining industry. Separately, the Romanian Government has reached an agreement with leaders of the mining unions on measures to improve the industry's performance. Pay increases associated with productivity increases form part of this agreement, but there will also be job losses. There is no question of pay increases being financed by the European Union.