Coal Stocks (Hansard, 9 May 1983)

§ 1. Mr. Skinner
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total amount of coal stocks at the latest available date.

§ The Under-Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. John Moore)
As at 31 March, 53.2 million tonnes in Great Britain.

§ Mr. Skinner
Will the Minister confirm that this is possibly the highest percentage of total production that has ever been recorded and accept that it is mainly due to the Government's policy of creating an industrial desert in Britain? If the Minister wants to bring the coal stocks down by even a little, will he try to help those made redundant in the pre-1970 closures, who never received any coal, such as the retired miners who did 40 years in the pits, and the widows? Will he use some of the coal for the 2,000 people who deserve to receive concessionary coal, like—

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. The hon. Gentleman must be fair to other hon. Members.

§ Mr. Moore
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The coal stocks are at record highs, but the size of the coal stock is much more related to the decline in industrial demand, the decline in domestic demand and the decline in the use of coal in the steel industry. These are factors that make it imperative that the coal industry keeps costs under control and ensures security of supply for its industrial customers.

§ Mr. Patrick McNair-Wilson
How is the Government scheme to encourage conversion to coal firing going? This is one market where there are real possibilities.

§ Mr. Moore
I am glad to remind the House of the success of the scheme, which has already created additional industrial demand of about 620,000 tonnes per annum. We hope that that will be raised to over 1 million tonnes per annum. The success of the scheme was welcomed by all who hope that coal has a successful long-term future in Britain.

§ Mr. Eadie
Have the Government any policy other than pit closures to deal with coal stocks? What happened to the policy that the hon. Gentleman used to state from the Government Front Bench, namely that the vagaries of the market should not be allowed to dominate long-term considerations of coal production and expansion?

§ Mr. Moore
Apart from the industrial recovery that is clearly under way, it is a bit much for the Opposition to question the consistency of the Government policies when, in the past four years, two thirds of the £4.5 billion invested in the coal industry has been invested through the Government's policies.