§ 14. Mr. Jenningsasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what percentage of the 8,000,000 tons increase in production he hopes to obtain from opencast mining and deep coal mining.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe additional 8,000,000 tons refers to mined coal only.
§ Mr. JenningsIs there no contribution from opencast coal towards the coal supply?
§ Mr. ShinwellOf course there is a contribution from opencast coal, and if the hon. Gentleman wishes to have information on that point, I will let him have it.
§ Mr. JenningsI am asking the right hon. Gentleman if he will give me the figures for the quantity of opencast coal expected out of this 8,000,000 tons.
§ Mr. ShinwellI think I have given the hon. Gentleman the information for which he has asked.
§ 17. Colonel Gomme-Duncanasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether any limits are placed on the extent of open- seam coalmining; whether he is aware of the damage to agriculture caused there by; and whether the agreement of both the Ministers of Agriculture and of Town and Country Planning is obtained before open-seam operations are started in any area.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative; to the second part, that whilst damage to agricultural land during the process of work is unavoidable restoration is carried out after the coal has been extracted; to the third, that the consent of these Ministries, as appropriate, is obtained before entry on opencast sites.
§ Colonel Gomme-DuncanCan we be given the extent of the limit mentioned in the first part of the Question? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the deep soil turned up in this way makes heavy land useless for agriculture for a long time afterwards?
§ Mr. ShinwellThe limitations depend on the circumstances, and if the hon. and gallant gentleman wishes to have information on any particular matter, I shall be very glad to let him have it. I am doing everything possible to prevent any spoliation of amenities.