FUTURE OF THE UK DEEP COALMINING INDUSTRY

Early day motion 289, tabled 4 December 2002 by Michael Clapham (Labour). Signed by 56 members.

That this House notes the Government's Energy White Paper; recognises that coal is the cheapest source of electricity providing a third of the United Kingdom's generating capacity and that it will continue to supply a substantial proportion of the country's low cost electricity well into the future, making an essential contribution toward competitiveness and the application of renewable technologies; and therefore calls on the Government to introduce an appropriate aid regime for United Kingdom coal and to ring fence a proportion of the generating market for indigenous produced coal to be burned in power stations fitted with clean burning technologies.

Signatures by party: Labour 46, Labour/Co-operative 4, Scottish National Party 3, Plaid Cymru 2, UUP 1.