HC Deb 14 February 1985 vol 73 cc491-2

4.3 pm

Mr. Kevin Barron (Rother Valley)

I beg to ask leave to move the Adjournment of the House, under Standing order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that should have urgent consideration, namely, the cost of the current mining strike to the Central Electricity Generating Board, the level of coal stocks and the possible increase in electricity prices to consumers. I believe that the matter is important in view of the leaked document that was broadcast to the nation at 7 pm yesterday by Channel 4 news that the estimated loss by the CEGB this year will be about £2 billion and that only £450 million of that can be accounted for by interest payments. Its estimate is that £1.8 billion is directly related to the current miners' dispute. I believe that the House should debate that issue in view of the statements made by the CEGB when giving evidence to the Select Committee and by Ministers on the Floor of the House. That issue alone should be debated.

The House should have the opportunity to debate the matter with the Minister responsible for the present level of coal stocks at power stations. I say that for two reasons. One is that we have never been able to get an up-to-date estimate of the level of coal stocks and the other is that in my constituency and the neighbouring one, yesterday, for the first time for 11 months, strike-bound coal that was mined before the dispute started has been moved by lorries that I suspect are non-trade union. There has also been a massive police presence in my communities once again. That presents problems for the communities.

Ministers have stood at the Dispatch Box over the past 11 months and told the House that there has been no need to move any of that strike-bound coal and that coal stock levels were adequate to provide electricity. We should be given a chance to debate that issue. The CEGB's estimated loss for the current year implies a rise of 20 per cent. to electricity consumers. It would be intolerable to make that increase in view of the fact that the Select Committee on Energy earlier last year made a report to the House saying that the Government had deliberately put up the price of electricity, and gas by the use of the gas levy, to tax energy.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer has used electricity price increases as a means of raising revenue for the Estimates. He made a statement to the House that he felt that the cost of the strike was money well spent for the nation. Consumers might have a 20 per cent. increase in their bills. I believe that the matter should be debated urgently in the House.

Mr. Speaker

The hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) asks leave to move the Adjournment of the House under Standing Order No. 10, for the purpose of discussing a specific and important matter that he thinks should have urgent consideration, namely, the cost of the current mining strike to the Central Electricity Generating Board, the level of coal stocks and the possible increase in electricity prices to consumers. I have listened with care to what the hon. Member has said but I regret that I do not consider the matter that he has raised is appropriate for discussion under Standing Order No. 10. I cannot therefore submit his application to the House.