Distortions In The European Coal Market

EDM number 852 in 1992-93, proposed by Joyce Quin on 16/11/1992.

That this House notes with dismay the evasive reply to the Written Parliamentary Question of 12th November Official Report column 976w from the honourable Member for Gateshead East which shows that the Government has failed to pursue with the European Commissioner for Competition, Sir Leon Brittan, the question of differing levels of subsidy to the coal industry in the European Community; asks how a government, allegedly committed to the idea of a level playing field in the EC, has signally failed to apply this policy to its own coal industry; and calls on the Government to raise this matter at the next meeting of the Industry and Energy Councils of the EC in order to facilitate the future export of British coal to other EC countries and to help ensure the survival of the 31 pits threatened with closure under the Government's crazy proposals.

This motion has been signed by a total of 79 MPs.