Opencast Mining

HC Deb 09 December 1991 vol 200 cc600-1

15. Mr. Sumberg

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many jobs are both directly and indirectly supported by the opencast coal sector.

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

There is no precise figure available about employment in the opencast coal industry, but the number is likely to be of the order of 17,000.

Mr. Sumberg

My hon. Friend will know of the considerable worry in the Radcliffe part of my constituency about the prospect of an opencast coal mine being developed there. That matter will be determined by the local council a week on Thursday. Although jobs are always welcome, particularly at this time, does my hon. Friend agree that the environmental impact on the locality is also important, because a safe environment will protect the area for future generations?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

My hon. Friend has vigorously represented the interests of views of those who may be affected by this project. I agree that there must be a balance between the need to exploit economic coal reserves and the need to pay close attention to any possible environmental impact. That is done through the planning system and the fact that appeals are heard not by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State but by the Department of the Environment.

Mr. McAllion

Will the Minister confirm that there will be fewer jobs in opencast mining as a direct result of the Government's policies? Will he confirm that, for example, opencast mines and jobs in Ayrshire are threatened by the Government's proposals to privatise Northern Ireland Electricity? Will the hon. Gentleman explain to miners and other people in Ayrshire how the Government can try to persuade them to vote for Tories in marginal seats when Government policies, because of their privatisation obsessions, lead directly to job losses in Ayrshire?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

No. Jobs in the opencast sector are at risk from the vendetta against opencast mining conducted by the Labour party. We know that a successful deep-mine sector and a successful opencast sector are complementary. We need the output from both for blending purposes.

Mr. Michael Morris

Is not opencast coal a vital national resource in the same way as sand and gravel in my constituency are? Does my hon. Friend agree that, except in areas of outstanding natural beauty or sites of scientific interest, our mineral resources must be exploited?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

I agree with my hon. Friend that an important balance must be struck. Provided that environmental concerns are met and are specifically addressed in the planning process, we believe that output from the opencast sector must be blended with output from the deep-mine sector. Indeed, the coal industry as a whole would be put at risk through premature shutdown of the opencast sector.

Mr. Dobson

If the Department of Energy believes that 17,000 people are employed directly or indirectly in the opencast coal sector, why did the Secretary of State for Employment recently say that 40,000 people were employed there? Who is right?

Mr. Heathcoat-Amory

The figure that I gave was of those who are directly or indirectly affected by the opencast sector. The figure that my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment gave included those who might be affected in other ways by premature closure.