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Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor Alexander Eadie (Labour), on Wednesday, 23 January 1991, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 56 members in total.

NORTHERN IRELAND ELECTRICITY - SOUTH AFRICAN COAL IMPORTS

That this House condemns the recent purchase by the Northern Ireland Electricity Board of 27,000 tonnes of coal from South Africa; notes that this is the first such purchase by a United Kingdom generating company in the past 20 years; and further deeply deplores the decision against the background of the fact that the average wage paid to black South African miners is a disgraceful one-fifth of that paid to South African white miners; notes also that it is the price of South African coal determined by its dependence on apartheid and exploitation which leads to the practice of dumping by other coal exporters from Australia, Columbia and elsewhere; and fully supports the terms of the formal complaint made by British Coal to the European Commission.

Amendments

The Early day motion has received an amendment.

NORTHERN IRELAND ELECTRICITY - SOUTH AFRICAN COAL IMPORTS (340A1)
The Early day motion has received an amendment sponsored by Roy Beggs (primary, Ulster Unionist Party) and tabled on Thursday, 31 January 1991. It has been signed by 14 members in total.
leave out, from 'House' to end and add'commends the policy of Northern Ireland Electricity of sampling coal from Colombia, the United States of America, South Africa and Australia; acknowledges the responsibility which Northern Ireland Electricity has to its customers, domestic and industrial, currently using the most expensive electricity in the United Kingdom, and the need to augment the existing excellent contract with British Coal with alternative sources of competitively priced coal for Northern Ireland power stations which will help reduce elctricity costs to all its customers; and believes that stability of employment for South African miners will help their leaders achieve better terms and conditions of service and assist Mr de Klerk to make further progress in his efforts to dismantle apartheid in South Africa. '.

Secondary information

Type
Early day motion
Reference
340 
340A1 
Session
1990-91
Other sponsors
Dennis Skinner
Jim Hood
Eric Illsley
Ronnie Campbell
Kevin Barron
Subjects
Coal Electricity generation Imports Northern Ireland South Africa Apartheid Northern Ireland Electricity
Link
View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk