§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy how he proposes to allocate the grants totalling £244 million 298W available under the Coal Industry (Limits on Grants) Order 1981; and by what date he expects it will he fully expended.
§ Mr. John MooreThe draft Coal Industry (Limit on Grants) Order 1981 would, by increasing the limit on the aggregate amount of relevant grants from £525 million to £590 million, make available a maximum margin of £243 million over the £347 million which had been paid at 31 March 1981. The grants will continue to be paid under the provisions of the Coal Industry Acts 1973, 1977 and 1980. The amounts which my right hon. Friend intends to pay, subject to the approval of the House, in respect of individual non-social grants, are set out in the Estimates and Supplementary Estimate.
I expect that the new limit, if approved, would be reached early in the second half of this financial year. My right hon. Friend announced on 16 June his intention of introducing legislation which would, inter alia, make provision for continuing grant support to the board's operations and revenues.