HC Deb 21 January 1985 vol 71 cc714-5
2. Mr. Ray Powell

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, since his reply of 10 December, he has met the chairman of the National Coal Board to discuss the current state of the dispute in the coal industry.

Mr. Nicholas Edwards

I met the chairman of the National Coal Board on 14 January.

Mr. Powell

I thank the Secretary of State for his reply. It is encouraging to know that he has at last met the chairman. On 10 December he said that he had not met the chairman since the start of the dispute, on 6 March, until that day. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Ogwr borough numerous jobs have been lost as a result of the mining dispute? The right hon. Gentleman has said that no jobs have been lost since March. We know that jobs have been lost. The right hon. Gentleman should have taken an initiative to try to resolve the dispute. I hope that he will attend a meeting to be convened with the Secretary of State for Energy this week.

Mr. Edwards

I never said that jobs would not be lost. Indeed, I always said that other industries, notably the transport industry, were likely to be affected by this damaging strike. That is why I have urged the hon. Gentleman to press the members of the National Union of Mineworkers to return to work. I shall attend the meeting with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy later this week and listen to the points made at that meeting.

Mr. Anderson

Is the Secretary of State aware of the depth of depression caused in Wales by his economic policies? For example, the indices of house prices show that we alone in Wales had no increase in house prices over the past year. Is it therefore surprising—

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman's question does not have much to do with the chairman of the NCB.

Mr. Anderson

Is it therefore surprising that miners are fighting for their jobs and their communities, given that background of depression? Will the right hon. Gentleman look at the definition of "economic pits" to ensure that social considerations, such as the future of our mining communities, are taken into account?

Mr. Edwards

I shall be happy—and so will the NCB—to look at the definition of "economic pits" if Mr. Scargill is also prepared to look at and discuss the definition of economic pits and to negotiate about them. His refusal to do so consistently throughout the dispute has got us to the present situation.

Mr. Hubbard-Miles

Is my right hon. Friend aware that at the commencement of the strike the miners of south Wales voted 70 per cent. against taking industrial action, and that, had the NUM leadership listened to the grass roots of the nining industry, there would have been no strike?

Mr. Edwards

It is deplorable that we still have not had a ballot, but 40 per cent. of the members of the NUM have voted with their feet and gone back to work, and another 1,700 members of the union returned to work today. That is why there is apparently a sudden interest among the leaders of the NUM to negotiate. I hope that they will negotiate about the real issues that are now before us.

Mr. Barry Jones

The Secretary of State's attitude is not encouraging, given the importance of the dispute and the critical situation that it has now reached. Will the Government encourage a negotiated, principled settlement that will heal divisions in our society? Does not the whole nation look to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to display statemanship in their attitude to a dispute that encompasses much suffering?

Mr. Edwards

Of course we shall encourage a negotiated settlement. I think that there have been seven rounds of negotiations so far, in which Mr. Scargill has not moved one inch. That is why we are in our present position. The NCB has moved. It made it clear in its negotiations with NACODS that it could reach a settlement that offered a sensible future for the industry and its further development.