Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give estimates of the total stocks of coal held in Britain in each January from 1980 to January of the current year.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe total stocks of coal held in the United Kingdom at the beginning of each year from 1980 to 1987 were as shown in the following table.
Total United Kingdom coal stocks at beginning of year ('000 tonnes) Stocks 1980 27,908 1981 37,687 1982 42,253 1983 52,377 1984 57,960 1985 36,548 1986 34,979 1987 38,481 Note: These total stock figures include both undistributed and distributed stocks, apart from those distributed stocks held in merchants' yards, etc, mainly for the domestic market, and those held by the industrial sector.