§ Mr. Woodallasked the Secretary of State for Energy what additional financial support the Government have agreed to give the National Coal Board for this financial year; and what are the implications for the DEN 3 cash limit.
§ Mr. Eadie, pursuant to his reply [Official Report 24 November 1978; Vol. 958. cc. 779–80] gave the following further information:
Subject to parliamentary approval of supplementary estimates, the Government have agreed to make a further £50 million grants available to the National Coal Board within the planned total of public expenditure for this financial year. These will be paid as regional grants under section 8 of the Coal Industry Act 1977, bringing the total grants to the Board for 1978–79 to £174 million. No increase in the NCB's cash limit for 1978–79 is involved.
308WThe level of Government financial support to the NCB in future years will be considered in the light of the review of coal industry strategy currently being undertaken as part of an updating of the Green Paper on Energy Policy—Cmnd 7101.