HC Deb 20 February 1984 vol 54 c557
15. Mr. Dormand

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the National Coal Board.

20. Mr. Janner

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of the National Coal Board.

Mr. Peter Walker

I meet the chairman of the NCB regularly.

Mr. Dormand

Is it not suspicious that Opposition Members cannot get a straight answer about the reports in yesterday's edition of The Observer about the Government pressing the chairman of the NCB to close 30 pits and get rid of 30,000 jobs? When will the Secretary of State realise that closing a pit destroys a whole community? We are talking, not just about miners and their families, but about small and large businesses, the location of industry, and so on.

Mr. Walker

There is no direction from the Government to close any number of pits over a particular period. Therefore, any such report is untrue. Of course I recognise that pit closures cause difficulties to local communities. The hon. Gentleman, who has been a Member for a long time, will recognise that over eight years of Conservative government there were 68 pit closures, but over 11 years of Labour government there were 295 pit closures.

Mr. Ryman

Does the Secretary of State appreciate the enormous seriousness of the rumours circulating in the north east of England about possible pit closures and redundancies, particularly the Bates colliery in Blyth? For example, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a rumour is circulating that about 800 men are to be made redundant in the north east as a result of secret redundancy plans of the NCB?

Mr. Walker

There is no such thing as secret plans, in the sense that there is an agreed procedure with the National Union of Mineworkers that has to be followed when pit closures are proposed.

Mr. Orme

Why does the Secretary of State not give a direct answer to the question about the MacGregor survival plan? It does not represent survival for the industry, as we see it. Are the facts in yesterday's edition of The Observer true or not?

Mr. Walker

I gave a direct answer. There is no direction from the Government about the number of pit closures taking place. Mr. MacGregor is following the procedures that were followed by the Labour Government when they closed 295 pits.