HC Deb 19 February 1990 vol 167 cc535-6W
Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will call for a report from British Coal on pricing policy on selling coal to the new power-generating companies.

Mr. Baldry

No. As I indicated to the House on 4 December at column 29, under the new contracts with National Power and PowerGen British Coal's prices will continue to fall each year in real terms. The details of these contracts are still being negotiated between the parties. In Scotland, British Coal is continuing to negotiate commercial terms for coal supply to the SSEB, in the light of the recent court judgments. British Coal's pricing policy is a commercial matter for the corporation.

Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will give details of the sulphur content in deep-mined coal in (1) Yorkshire, (2) Nottinghamshire, (3) Wales, (4) Scotland, (5) north-east England and (6) Derbyshire;

(2) if he will give details of the sulphur content in opencast-mined coal in (1) Yorkshire, (2) Nottinghamshire, (3) Wales, (4) Scotland, (5) north-east England and (6) Derbyshire;

(3) if he will list the private mining companies operating licensed mines in (1) Scotland, (2) Wales, (3) Yorkshire, (4) Derbyshire, (5) Nottinghamshire and (6) north-east England.

Mr. Baldry

These are matters for the British Coal Corporation.

Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the sulphur content in imported coal from (1) Colombia, (2) South Africa, (3) China, (4) Australia, (5) America, (6) Poland, (7) Belgium.

Mr. Baldry

Detailed information is not available centrally for all of these countries, but the bulk of coal imports, particularly from the United States and Australia, is of relatively low sulphur specification, primarily for use in the metallurgical industry. Steam coal imports from Colombia are also relatively low in sulphur.

Mr. Hood

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last had discussions with private mining companies involved in opencast mining; and what he discussed.

Mr. Baldry

My right hon. Friend met representatives of the National Association of Licensed Opencast Operators on 7 December 1989. A range of issues affecting the prospects of the licensed mine sector were discussed.