§ Mr. Heathcoat-Amoryasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the National Coal Board's financial limits for the current year.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerAfter the NUM dispute the National Coal Board reviewed thoroughly its financial forecasts for the present year. These forecasts have been discussed between my Department and the Board, and I have now set the following financial limits for 1985–86.
The National Coal Board's EFL for 1985–86 has been revised from the provisional figure of £723 million to £929 million. The board's capital approval is £725 million. In setting the deficit grant limit of £306 million in respect of 1985–86 I have taken into account inclusion in the hoard's deficit for 1984–85 of a provision of £342 million for directly strike-related losses which are expected to arise in the present year.