The present invention relates to an electrically operated valve (10), which has a valve housing (11); a spool (12); a first fluid conduit (14) connecting the valve (10) with a source of pressurized fluid; a second fluid conduit (15) connecting the valve (10) with a reservoir of fluid; and a third fluid conduit (16) in communication with valve (10) which delivers fluid to or receives fluid from apparatus which uses the hydraulic fluid flow controlled by the valve (10). The spool (12) is biased to a rest position by a pair of opposed springs (17,18) and in the rest position closes off the first (14) and second (15) fluid conduits. A first electric coil (19) associated with a first end of the spool (12) when activated displaces the spool (12) to open the first fluid conduit (14). A second electric coil (20) associated with a second end of the spool (12) when activated displaces the spool (12) to open the second fluid conduit (15).