§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will reconcile his answers of 17 July 2000,Official Report, column 27W, Ref. 130308 and 130309/10, concerning regional selective assistance for companies manufacturing cars, with particular reference to the two lists of companies. [133455]
§ Mr. ByersThe answer to Ref. 130308 concerned companies which received payments of grant since May 1998.
The answer to Ref. 130309/10 concerned offers made since May 1997.
Two of the companies, Vauxhall and Ford, shown in the list of those receiving payments since May 1998, had offers made before May 1997. They are therefore excluded from the list of offers made since May 1997.
§ Mr. RedwoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has European Commission Competition Directorate approval to(a) subsidise the coal industry and (b) grant a subsidy to Toyoda. [133066]
§ Mr. ByersI am seeking approval from the European Commission to a subsidy scheme to help the UK coal industry.
Toyoda Gosei Company Ltd.—part of the Toyota Group of companies—received an offer of £1.7 million Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) in May 1999. Under the terms of the Motor Vehicle Framework for State Aid, no prior EU approval was required.