HC Deb 26 January 1988 vol 126 cc151-2W
Mr. Gordon Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list(a) the amount of coal imports into the United Kingdom by country of origin, for the latest year for which figures are available, (b) the ports in which they are being landed and the amounts each year and (c) the names of the companies which are registered to import coal.

Mr. Michael Spicer

Details of imports of coal into the United Kingdom by country of origin in 1986 (the latest year available) are in table 20 of the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics" published by HMSO. A copy is in the Library of the House.

In 1986 the ports into which coal was being imported and the amounts landed were as follows:

Port Quantity thousand tones
Middlesbrough 2,610
Port Talbot 1,558
Immingham 1,349

Port Quantity thousand tonnes
Greenock 1,301
Trent 778
Medway 661
London (including Tilbury) 404
Hartlepool 295
Cardiff 247
Sunderland 243
Colchester 196
Belfast 176
Liverpool 143
Avonmouth 96
Newport (Gwent) 83
Others (38 ports) 413
10,554

Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

Details about coal importing companies are commercially confidential.

Mr. Gordon Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions there have been with importers of coal on the future levels of imported coal; and what was the outcome.

Mr. Michael Spicer

None.