HC Deb 11 March 1985 vol 75 cc11-2
11. Mr. Hardy

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of coal stocks held at power stations and by the National Coal Board.

Mr. David Hunt

The latest published figures are for the end of December. They show stocks held at power stations in Great Britain of 14.402 million tonnes and stocks held by the National Coal Board of 20.753 million tonnes.

Mr. Hardy

Would the Minister care to offer an estimate now, or publish one later, of the improvement in the value of those stocks as a result of the change in the value of our currency? Should not that change in value suggest restraint to those who are currently lusting for extensive colliery closures, and should not one factor in encouraging reconciliation be the need to make sure that the industry takes advantage of the opportunity presented by changing values?

Mr. Hunt

I agree about the need for reconciliation, but I disagree with most of what the hon. Gentleman says. The existence of those stocks shows that the full demand for electricity was met during the dispute. The nation should be grateful to those who fought to keep industry at work and to keep the home fires burning.

Mrs. Currie

Will my hon. Friend join me in recognising not only the hard work of the power station workers in keeping the power stations going throughout the dispute, but their incredible skill? Will he say that, as far as possible, the coal-fired power stations in the Trent Valley will continue to operate, and that their life will not be shortened by the technical extremities to which they have been pushed during the dispute?

Mr. Hunt

The CEGB coped admirably with a major disruption to its fuel supplies. As long as we can lift the heavy burden of uneconomic coal capacity off the industry, coal can be extremely competitive.

Mr. Allen McKay

Does the Minister know whether any of the coal stocks include coking coal? If so, why are we importing American coking coal to South Wales and why is there not more investment in coking coal, so that we do not have to import it?

Mr. Hunt

The CEGB has not imported any foreign coal during the strike. I shall look into the hon. Gentleman's question about coking coal.

Mr. Peter Bruinvels

Will my hon. Friend consider the stocks produced by Leicestershire coalfields and join me in congratulating Leicester NUM, especially its leader Jack Jones, on working throughout the strike and producing mammoth amounts of coal?

Mr. Hunt

I join in those congratulations. Nobody could overestimate the tremendous courage, bravery and determination shown by the working miners throughout the strike.

Mr. Eadie

Does the Minister realise that coal stocks and coal production are bound to be jeopardised if the Government Front Bench are telling us that they do not want to do anything about victimisation in spite of the fact that they know what is happening in Scotland? They do not want to do anything about getting talks started between the mining unions, including the NUM, because of the argument of the overtime ban. Yet talks took place in 1972, 1974, 1981 and even 1984, when there was an overtime ban. Are the Government telling us that there will be no talks and that they even want to sabotage the ACAS/NACODS agreement?

Mr. Hunt

I shall not begin to answer all of the nonsenses put forward by the hon. Gentleman, except to recognise that I know that he cares about this great industry. I just wish that he would use his influence on Mr. Scargill.