HC Deb 22 December 1983 vol 51 cc330-1W
Mr. Redmond

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 15 December, Official Report, c. 1169, how many more pits have to close before the closure programme is back on schedule; and how many pits are included in the schedule.

The Prime Minister

There is no closure programme. Decisions on closures are made by the board at local level in consultation with the unions. The reference in the answer on 15 December was to the fact that the overall rate of closure of uneconomic and exhausted capacity since 1974 has been below that envisaged in "Plan for Coal".