§ 9. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he proposes to restrict his trial borings for opencast coalmining in western Worcestershire to the eight sites at Fartown, Stildon, Empire, Winrick, Trial, Gybhouse, Greenway and Gorsthill, named in a reply to a Parliamentary Question on 29th June, 1950.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerNo, Sir. If the prospecting on these sites should show that there may be workable coal under nearby land then further borings on that land might be required.
§ Mr. NabarroCan the Minister substantiate the statement made on 14th November by a Government spokesman 8 in another place to the general effect that this coal would be worked only in conditions of grave emergency, and then would be restricted to only 100 acres?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerMy noble Friend meant, of course, that coal in Worcestershire would only be worked if the nation had grave and urgent need of it. He did not mean that land in Worcestershire would be treated differently from similar land elsewhere, and I am sure that the hon. Member would not ask for that.
§ 10. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he intends to hold the public inquiry in relation to the proposals of his Department for opencast coalmining in western Worcestershire.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerBefore any opencast workings are begun, all the authorities and interests concerned will, as always, have the fullest opportunity to express their views. But no plans for working can be made until the task of prospecting is complete.
§ Mr. NabarroIs the Minister aware that more than 50 public and private bodies have now registered the strongest disapproval of these proposals, and would he, therefore, expedite this public inquiry?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerThere is no point in having any consultations until we know what coal there is and whether we want to work it.
§ Captain CrookshankThe Minister talks about full inquiries being made and consultations, but that is not the same thing as a public inquiry. Will he, therefore, have a public inquiry?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerUnder the procedure which has always been followed, and which, I think, has proved very satisfactory, local authorities, the Regional Controller of Town and Country Planning, the Land Commissioner of the Ministry of Agriculture, other Ministries, the Chief Inspector of Ancient Monuments, and private societies for the preservation of rural England, have always had an opportunity for discussion and consultation of every kind.
§ Captain CrookshankDoes not the Minister realise that that is not a public inquiry and is not as effective as far as the public are concerned?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI am not at all afraid of public inquiries. We have never needed one hitherto, and I hope we shall not need one in this case.
§ 11. Mr. Nabarroasked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many trial bore holes have been put down since 1st August, 1950, in connection with opencast coal-mining prospecting in western Worcestershire; and when the results of these trial borings will be made known.
§ Mr. P. Noel-BakerNearly 200 holes have been put down. The results cannot be assessed until the full programme of boring has been completed; this will probably be about the end of 1951.
§ Mr. NabarroDoes the Minister realise that where boring has taken place on good farmland, farmers are gravely perturbed about their prospects for 1951 and 1952 in planning food production? If he does not intend to work their land for opencast coal during the coming years will he tell the farmers, so that they can get ahead in planning future food supplies?
§ Mr. Noel-BakerI will certainly consider the hon. Member's proposal, but I hope that farmers will follow the advice of their representative organisations to carry on with their plans in any event until a definite decision has been made.
§ Mr. Emrys HughesDoes my right hon. Friend realise that the holes for bores in Westminster are a greater nuisance than they are in Worcestershire?