§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the subsidiary companies of the National Coal Board and their functions.
§ Mr. John MooreInformation on the National Coal Board's subsidiary companies and their functions are shown in the National Coal Board's report and accounts 1978–79, a copy of which is in the Library of the House of Commons. For convenience, they are listed below:
Wholly-owned subsidiaries of NCB (Coal Products) Ltd.:
National Smokeless Fuels Ltd.—Manufacture and sale of coke, smokeless fuels and various primary by-products, notably coke oven gas, crude tar and crude benzole.
Thomas Ness Ltd.—Tar distillation and the manufacture and sale of solvents, Hyload, building products and active carbon. As Agent for National Smokeless Fuels Ltd. the company also markets sulphate of ammonia.
Wholly-owned subsidiaries of NCB (Ancillaries) Ltd.
National Fuel Distributors Ltd—Solid fuel distribution.
Southern Depot Co. Ltd—Solid fuel distribution.
Tredomen Engineering Ltd—Engineering manufacture.
Coal Industry Estates Ltd—Estate management.
Compower Ltd—Computer services.
Filtracine Ltd—Supply of filter coal.
Corex Laboratories Ltd—Core analysis.
Partly-owned subsidiary of NCB (Ancillaries) Ltd.
J. H. Sankey & Son Ltd.—Builders merchanting.
In addition to their subsidiaries, NCB (Coal Products) Ltd. and NCB (Ancillaries) Ltd. have interests in associated companies and partnerships 392W which are listed in the Board's report and accounts.
§ Mr. Michael Brownasked the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has to instruct the National Coal Board to dispose of its subsidiary companies.
§ Mr. John MooreI have no present plans to do so; but the nationalised industries: interests in subsidiaries and associated companies are an aspect of their operations which the Government are reviewing.