§ 11. Mr. LawrenceTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many kilojoules per man hour were produced by British Coal in (a) 1979 and (b) the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will express the latter as a percentage of the former.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerProductivity rose from 2.24 tonnes per manshift in 1978–79 to 3.62 tonnes in 1987–88, an increase of 62 per cent. Productivity figures based on heat content are not available.
§ Mr. LawrenceThe House will wish to congratulate the miners and British Coal on achieving those remarkable productivity figures under a Conservative Government. Can my hon. Friend give comparable figures for productivity when the Labour party had control of the coal industry?
§ Mr. SpicerI could give the House those figures, but it would be rather boring if I did. During the Labour Government productivity in the coal industry fell every year that they were in office.
§ Mr. FlynnWhat does the Minister believe will be the effect on coal consumption of today's news of the collapse of the first serious bid to generate electricity privately under the Energy Act 1983? Will he investigate why his Department encouraged the doomed plan to reopen Rogerstone power station by backing Mr. Angelo Casfikis when there was abundant evidence then, as now, that he is a man of straw? Will the Department promise not to 12 support dotty schemes to reopen clapped-out power stations in the face of the united opposition of local people and councils?
§ Mr. SpicerThe Government's policy is to encourage as much competition in the generation of electricity as possible, and the thrust of the proposals that we shall place before Parliament during the next few months will be precisely to that effect. The Government have no control over who makes applications; nor do we wish to have any. But we do wish to encourage all-corners to apply on their merits for rights to produce electricity.