§ 3.30 pm
§ Mr. Dennis Skinner (Bolsover)On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. You probably noticed that during the past five years under this Tory Government the Department of Energy has answered questions on the amount of coal stocks at pit heads and behind power station fences. Every few months hon. Members on both sides of the House have asked questions to try to ascertain the amount of stocks of coal. During this present dispute questions have been tabled and accepted by the Table Office, but the Government are refusing to give the precise amount of coal stocks. It is pretty obvious that they are frightened to disclose to the people the fact that the miners have taken nearly 30 million tonnes of coal out of stock—
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. May I ask the hon. Gentleman what is the point of order?
§ Mr. SkinnerAs, during the past few weeks, the Table Office has accepted questions to ascertain the amount of coal stocks at pit heads and power stations as being valid the Government should be doing what they have done throughout their period of office and before the mining dispute and print in Hansard the exact amount of coal stocks. The Government are refusing to do that, and I call upon you, Mr. Speaker, to ensure that the Government carry out normal practice and reveal what the coal stocks are. The truth is that they are frightened to death.
§ Mr. SpeakerOrder. The hon. Gentleman must know that I cannot possibly be responsible for the content of ministerial answers, any more than I can be responsible for the content of the questions. I would not know about that matter.