HC Deb 14 April 1986 vol 95 c571
12. Mr. Barron

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, when he next meets the chairman of the National Coal Board, he will raise with him the board's new coalfield investment programme.

Mr. Peter Walker

I meet the chairman of the National Coal Board regularly to discuss all aspects of the industry, including investment programmes.

Mr. Barron

Can the Secretary of State clarify the position about new investment in the British coalfields? Can he tell us about the new investment that is proposed for the south Warwickshire coalfield? I wrote to the right hon. Gentleman on 26 March asking him to clarify a matter concerning three of his right hon. Friends who put their names to a document aimed at stopping investment in the new pit that is proposed for the south Warwickshire coalfield. We hear Minister after Minister saying that the Government are committed to the coal industry and to its future. Will he clarify this with the Coal Board? Even if I cannot get a reply to my letter, that might let us know exactly what the Government have in store for the British coalfields.

Mr. Walker

The Government are spending £2 million a day on the coal industry, and that is rather more than any Labour Government ever spent. I have not received any proposal from the Coal Board about the project in south Warwickshire. The board is presently conducting environmental impact assessments.

Mr. Teddy Taylor

Having seen for himself the problems created by a previous Agriculture Minister who urged farmers to produce more food at three times the price at which the public could buy it from abroad, will my right hon. Friend be cautious and not encourage the National Coal Board to do exactly the same thing by producing coal at 60 per cent. more than the price at which we can buy it from Australia?

Mr. Walker

I am sorry if my hon. Friend regrets that Britain attained a tolerable self-sufficiency in food. I notice that he would prefer to import food rather than that we should produce it ourselves.

Mr. Allen McKay

When the Secretary of State is looking at new investment, will he also look at old investment? Does he agree that capital investment 10 year ago on plans that have been destroyed by the Government and the Coal Board is now affecting too few men? Will he look at Redbrook, where manpower has been run down from 1,250 to 488? Does he not agree that in such cases the capital debt should be wiped out?

Mr. Walker

Capital debts have to be reviewed over a period of time. Investment in our coal industry dwarfs investment in that industry in the whole of the rest of western Europe.