§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the cost to public funds over a 10-year period of a redundant mineworker.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe average total cost of statutory redundancy payments under the redundant mineworkers payments scheme, and payments made through pensions schemes, to mineworkers currently being made redundant will, at present rates, amount to between £30,000 and £35,000 per head over a 10-year period.
§ Mr. Fallonasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will publish the operating results of National Coal Board deep mine collieries for 1982–83.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe publication of such results is a matter for the NCB, and I have drawn the hon. Member's question to the chairman's attention.
§ Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many jobs were lost to the mining industry in the financial years 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82 and 1982–83.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe number of men on NCB colliery books increased by 765 during the Board's financial year 1979–80. It fell by 8,322 during 1980–81, by 11,998 during 1981–82, and by 10,174 during 1982–83.
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§ Mr. Porterasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many privately owned coal mines are currently operating; how many were operating in 1979; and whether he has any plans to liberalise their licensing.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe number of privately operated small mines working under licence from the National Coal Board at the end of the financial years 1979–80 and 1982–83 was as follows:
1979–80 1982–83 Opencast sites 56 56 Underground mines 161 155 The Monopolies and Mergers Commission recommended in its recent report on the National Coal Board that the present statutory limit on individual opencast licences should be raised from 25,000 tons to 100,000 tonnes. We are giving careful consideration to this recommendation.
§ Mr. Haynesasked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to privatise the coal mining industry; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy on 4 July.