LARGE COMBUSTION PLANT DIRECTIVE AND THE COAL INDUSTRY

Early day motion 1350, tabled 14 June 2004 by Paddy Tipping (Labour). Signed by 83 members.

That this House is concerned at reports that about half of Britain's remaining collieries could be forced to close if the Large Combustion Plants Directive were to be implemented via the National Emissions Reduction Plan; asks that further research is undertaken into the economic impact of the resulting reduction in domestic coal production which could arise, costing up to ú450 million in lost GDP and a further ú300 million in redundancy costs from job losses; further notes that a National Emissions Reduction Plan will lead to the import of coal from South Africa, Russia and Columbia, which will put a burden on transport capacity and undermine security of supply; recognises that the social impact of colliery closures will be severe for some of Britain's most disadvantaged regions; acknowledges that the alternative Emission Limit Values implementation option will preserve jobs and the ongoing viability of British-mined coal while meeting Britain's international sulphur dioxide reduction obligations; and calls on the Government to safeguard the British coal industry by implementing the Large Combustion Plants Directive via the Emission Limit Values method.

Signatures by party: Labour 70, Labour/Co-operative 5, Conservative 3, Liberal Democrat 3, Plaid Cymru 1, Scottish National Party 1.