Coal Industry Act 1987

2 Deficit grants to British Coal Corporation.

(1) The Secretary of State may, with the approval of the Treasury, make grants to the Corporation out of money provided by Parliament with a view to reducing or eliminating any group deficit for the financial years of the Corporation ending in March 1988 and 1989.

(2) In this section “group deficit” means, in relation to a financial year of the Corporation, any deficit shown in any consolidated profit and loss account of the Corporation and any of their subsidiaries prepared by the Corporation in accordance with a direction given by the Secretary of State in respect of that year under section 8(1) of the [1971 c. 16.] Coal Industry Act 1971.

(3) Grants under subsection (1) above—

(a) may be made subject to such conditions as the Secretary of State may with the approval of the Treasury determine; and

(b) may be made in advance of the preparation in respect of any financial year of the Corporation mentioned in that subsection of any such consolidated profit and loss account as is mentioned in subsection (2) above, if it appears to the Secretary of State that there will be a group deficit for that year.

(4) The aggregate of the grants made under subsection (1) above shall not exceed £100 million but the Secretary of State may with the approval of the Treasury by order increase or further increase that amount subject to a maximum of £200 million.

(5) The power to make an order under subsection (4) above shall be exercisable by statutory instrument and no such order shall be made unless a draft of the order has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, the House of Commons.