§ Sir W. Darlingasked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware of considerable concern regarding the opencast operations in the neighbourhood of Gore-bridge; if the agricultural committee was consulted; and if any estimate has been formed as to the value of fuel extracted, as compared with the loss in food production.
§ Mr. GaitskellYes. The Department of Agriculture for Scotland was consulted before this land was requisitioned. No precise estimate of the value of the coal extracted against the loss in food production has been made for this particular area, but it is very roughly about 3o to I in favour of coal.