§ 26. Mr. Speedasked the Minister of Power if he will estimate the extra annual consumption of coal for each additional 1 per cent. rate of growth in the gross national product.
§ Mr. MasonThis depends on a number of factors, including the composition of the increase, and I do not think that I could usefully offer such an estimate.
§ Mr. SpeedWould the Minister not agree that the disposals in coal last year were 6 million tons below the National Plan forecast for 1970? Is it not a fact that if the growth rate between 1960 and 1964, or the National Plan growth rate had been maintained, many colliery closures and redundancies would have been averted?
§ Mr. MasonThe hon. Gentleman refers to the gross national product increase. As I say, it depends upon how this is made up. This also applies to the increase in coal consumption. It may be that there may be quite a drive for clean air zones, and there will be extra grants for smokeless fuel. There may be a decision taken to build another coal-fired power station, which would require 4 million tons to 5 million tons of coal a year. There are too many unquantifiables in this.