§ Mr. Harry BarnesTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what inquiries his Department has made into the leakage of methane gas from closed coal mines; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Heathcoat-AmoryNone. I am, however, aware that the Department of the Environment is commissioning research into methane from abandoned coal mines. My Department is sponsoring a review by the Watt committee of measurement methods and available data relating to methane emissions from various sources.