§ 6. Mr. Eric ClarkeTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effect the planned privatisation of the coal industry will have on the Scottish economy and on employment in Scotland.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Mr. Allan Stewart)Privatisation will give British Coal and its work force the opportunity to develop the productive efficiency of the mines to the full so that they can compete for the largest achievable share of the United Kingdom fuel market.
§ Mr. ClarkeDoes the Minister support the idea that in the event of privatisation Scotland's coal assets should be sold off as a whole, rather than piecemeal? In other words, 246 opencast and deep mine should be sold together. Will the Secretary of State agree to a meeting on the future of Monktonhall colliery, about which I am extremely worried?
§ Mr. StewartHaving listened to the two good speeches that the hon. Gentleman has already made on that subject—his maiden speech and his speech on Monday—I can tell the House that the hon. Gentleman is a member of an endangered species: a Scottish Labour Member who knows what he is talking about. Obviously, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State or I will meet the hon. Gentleman to discuss Monktonhall at the earliest opportunity.
§ Mr. HoodBritish Coal recently robbed the mineworkers' pension scheme of more than £500 million by taking a contribution holiday. Will the Minister assure Scottish miners that the billions of pounds in the mineworkers' pension scheme will not be used as a carrot to privatise the coal industry?
§ Mr. StewartI am sorry that the hon. Gentleman was not present for the winding-up speech on Monday, when my hon. Friend the Minister of State answered that point.