§ 27. Mr. Adam Hunterasked the Minister of Power when he expects to announce the conclusions of the working parties set up as a result of his Sunningdale Conference with the chairmen of the nationalised fuel industries.
§ Mr. MasonThe work put in hand at Sunningdale is part of the normal continuing work on energy problems undertaken jointly by my Department and the industries. I will inform the House at once if this work should lead to any change in policy.
§ Mr. HunterIs my right hon. Friend aware that many employees of the National Coal Board at all levels are anxious to get some report of this conference? Will he facilitate the report to enable this to be done?
§ Mr. MasonI am pleased to hear what my hon. Friend says. I am anxious that the Coal Board should keep abreast of my studies in this respect and its co-operation is required to the full.
§ Mr. EmeryDoes the right hon. Gentleman recall that in June this year he said that he was taking his first retrospective look at the fuel policy? To many people it appears that these working parties are just further delaying tactics?
§ Mr. MasonI will disabuse the hon. Gentleman's mind immediately. A special examination of coal trends is taking place because of our discussions at Sunningdale. It was noticed that the manpower rundown was pretty fast, and we are examining that to see whether it necessitates any change in fuel policy.
§ Mr. LubbockAs a year has now elapsed since the White Paper on Fuel Policy of November, 1967, would it not be a good idea to have the estimates updated so that they are carried forward a further year up to 1976? What discussions has the right hon. Gentleman had on this matter with the chairmen of the nationalised fuel industries at the recent conference?
§ Mr. MasonWe have always said that these are estimates, not standing figures of fact. If some of the forecasts do not correlate with the actual outturn, there is no reason why the figures should not be moved. This is why there is a continuing look at fuel policy.