§ 40. Mr. ButlerTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to ease the restrictions on private mines within this Session of Parliament.
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§ Mr. ParkinsonAs I said to the House on 7 November 1988 at column 2, changes to the statutory limits on licensed mining have been overtaken by our decision to privatise the coal industry in the next Parliament. In the meantime private mines should benefit from the opportunities from a more open market for coal in this country following the privatisation of the generating companies. I am exploring with British Coal the scope for greater flexibility towards licensed mining within the present statutory framework.