HC Deb 06 July 1959 vol 608 cc879-81
30. Mr. Mason

asked the Paymaster-General if he will break down the estimated fuel requirement figure of 310 million tons of coal equivalent which will be needed by 1965 into the separate tons of coal equivalent to be supplied by each of the United Kingdom's fuel industries.

Mr. Maudling

No, Sir. Future demand for each form of energy will depend on its relative competitive position.

Mr. Mason

Since the Paymaster-General has repeatedly stated in the House that by 1965 we shall require 310 million tons of coal equivalent, and since in our last debate he repeated that statement and said that there was every assurance that it would be achieved, will he tell us the constituent parts of that total and particularly what part coal will play?

Mr. Maudling

If the hon. Gentleman will be good enough to look at the original speech, he will see exactly what I said and why I cannot give the constituent parts.

Mr. Mason

The right hon. Gentleman has already admitted that there have been consultations with the National Coal Board on this matter. Since a re-assessment must have been made, why can he not tell us what the re-assessment envisages for 1965 and particularly what part coal will play in producing that total figure?

Mr. Maudling

Once again, I refer the right hon. Gentleman to what I said in 1957 about the total demand for energy and the possible competition between various sources of energy. I ask the hon. Gentleman to await the availability of the Coal Board's views about its future prospects.

31. Mr. Mason

asked the Paymaster-General what annual rate of economic expansion he had in mind in arriving at his estimate of 310 million tons of coal equivalent by 1965.

Mr. Maudling

Three per cent. a year increase in the national income.

Mr. Mason

That sounds very much like what we intend to do. Is not the first requirement for this figure to be achieved a change of Government, or are we once more to see raging inflation followed by a period of recession with coal slumped into its present position again?

Mr. Maudling

I do not think the hon. Gentleman can have been looking at the recent facts of the economic situation.

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