§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on her policy towards Commission proposals for the adoption of an energy products tax directive. [57895]
§ Mr. BoatengI have been asked to reply.
The Government support the principle of an energy products directive, recognising the benefits of co-ordination of environmental taxes at EU level. This is needed to solve cross-border environmental problems, such as global warming, where member states need to act together to prevent a lack of EU action undermining the achievement of environmental objectives through member states' own national tax policies.
But the Government attached great importance to addressing fuel poverty, and would not support any directive which would require the UK to introduce new taxes on domestic energy.