HC Deb 25 October 1984 vol 65 c802
12. Mr. Heddle

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of farming land were lost in 1983–84 due to coalmining subsidence.

Mr. MacGregor

I regret that this information is not available.

Mr. Heddle

Does my hon. Friend accept that many small farmers in coal mining counties such as Staffordshire have their livelihoods threatened because they are unable to obtain compensation from the NCB for consequential losses due to coal mining subsidence? Will he urge our right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy to implement the recommendations and proposals of the Waddilove report at the earliest possible date?

Mr. MacGregor

As my hon. Friend implies, the Waddilove report is most useful. As he knows, it is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy, but I can assure him that my right hon. Friend is considering it most carefully and that the Ministry is fully involved in the considerations on issues that affect agriculture. We shall certainly bear in mind my hon. Friend's comments in that regard, but I cannot at this stage make any further comment as to the date.

Mr. Skinner

Does the Minister agree that the problem could be resolved by treating the coal mining industry in the same way as the farming industry is treated? Does he further accept that in the Government's Think Tank report issued in November 1983 the subsidy figure for the year 1984–85 is equivalent to £1,000 million, plus all the money that comes from the Common Market? According to that report, it is equivalent to £20,000 per farmer. If the coal mining industry got that, it would solve all those problems.

Mr. MacGregor

I do not know what the hon. Gentleman has read, but his figures are quite wrong.