§ Mr. Jannerasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West on 24 June, Official Report, column 630, upon what evidence he bases his statement that the numbers employed in the coal industry in the Leicestershire area will increase by the end of the century;
(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West on 24 June, Official Report, column 630, how many and which pits he expects to be in production in the Leicestershire area by the end of the century; how much coal he expects each of those pits to be producing; and how many coalminers he expects to be employed in each of those pits;
(3) pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West on 24 June, Official Report, column 630, how many pits are in operation now; how many miners are now employed in each of those pits; which of those pits he expects to be in operation by the end of the century; and how many coalminers he expects to be employed in each of those pits by the end of the century;
(4) pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West on 24 June, Official Report, column 630, how many miners are now employed on work on the Asfordby project; how many he expects to be employed on that mine by the end of the years 1990, 1992, 1995, 1998 and 2000, respectively; and how many and what percentage of such miners he expects to be from the Leicestershire area;
(5) pursuant to his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West on 24 June, Official Report, column 630, how many miners he expects each of the pits in the Vale of Belvoir and north-west Leicestershire coalfield apart from Asfordby to be employing; and how many and what percentage he expects to be from the Leicestershire area at the end of the century.
§ Mr. David HuntAs I pointed out to the hon. Gentleman on 24 June, there will be a major boost to the numbers employed in the coal industry in the south midlands area when such major prospects as are planned at Cadley Mill, Daw Hill and Coventry together with the new prospects at Asfordby and south Warwickshire come 489W to fruition. I also anticipate growth in the opencast sector. Detailed questions on numbers of pits, their personnel and production are a matter for the National Coal Board. There is a tremendous future for the coal industry, particularly in the south midlands if it can cut costs to take advantage of the market opportunities which will be there.