HC Deb 05 December 1960 vol 631 cc841-2
22. Mr. Kelley

asked the Minister of Power if he will fix a target of production for the coal industry of 200 million tons per annum by 1965, in order to meet national requirements and to give confidence to the industry, thus improving prospects for labour retention and recruitment.

23. Mr. Wyatt

asked the Minister of Power whether he is satisfied that the Revised Plan for Coal can still be fulfilled; and what variations he expects.

Mr. Wood

I do not fix targets, but I think the National Coal Board is right in continuing to aim at a mining capacity of not less than 200 million tons in 1965, as stated in the Revised Plan.

Mr. Kelley

I thank the Minister for that reply. I should like to know what steps he would take to protect this figure from the kind of competition to which he referred in a previous Answer.

Mr. Wood

As I suggested just now, I do not think that this figure needs protection at a time when the demand for coal is higher than the production of coal.

Mr. Wyatt

Is the Minister aware that Professor Robinson and the chairman of the Institution of Gas Engineers both take the view that on present trends the figure required by 1965 will not be more than 280 million tons of coal equivalent? This is also the view of the National Union of Mineworkers. There is a serious discrepancy between the Minister's estimates and those of others who are expert in this matter. Could not the Minister go more thoroughly into this question in order to see who is right? Most of the Government's forecasts have been wrong in the past, and there is nothing to suggest that they are right now.

Mr. Wood

I do not think that there is a serious discrepancy here. I have suggested that the figure will be 300 million tons coal equivalent in the later 1960s, and they suggest that it will be 280 million tons in 1965, which I think is too pessimistic. It would be optimistic to rely on it, but if we had, up to 1965, anything like the advance in energy requirements that we have had this year, we should need not 300 million but 340 million tons coal equivalent in 1965. I admit that that is optimistic, but it puts the matter into perspective, and shows that the estimate of 280 million tons is unduly pessimistic.