§ Dr. WrightTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many hectares of land were approved for opencast coal mining through planning decisions in 1991–92, both in volume terms and as a percentage of the land applied for; and what was the percentage for land approved in relation to land applied for each year since 1983–84.
§ Mr. BaldryAccording to statistics published by the County Planning Officers' Society, the volume of land approved for opencast coal mining through planning206W decisions in 1991–92 was 2,333 hectares which was 71.26 per cent. of the land applied for. The percentage figures for each year since 1983–84 are as follows:
per cent. 1983–84 75.40 1984–85 42.10 1985–86 48.98 1986–87 69.14 1987–88 42.06 1988–89 57.87 1989–90 63.33 1990–91 47.64