HC Deb 02 February 1998 vol 305 cc479-80W
Mr Redwood

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has(a) attended meetings, (b) read papers and (c) made comments on coal industry matters in the last three months. [24264]

Mrs. Beckett

[holding answer 20 January 1998]: Matters concerning the coal industry are the responsibility of the Minister for Science, Industry and Energy. His responsibilities also include European coal issues, dealt with at the Energy Council which he attends.

Coal industry matters have arisen only incidentally, e.g. in meetings at which the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe has been present. He has had no direct dealings with the issue.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the Board of Trade if the Paymaster General will ensure that the report on the future of the coal industry is completed before the current redundancy terms for miners end on 30 June. [25426]

Mrs. Beckett

[holding answer 26 January 1998]: The Government are not preparing a report on the coal industry. On 22 December, the President of the Board of Trade announced details of a review of energy sources for power generation. That review is being carried out by the Department of Trade and Industry, not HM Treasury. The Department has invited representations by 16 February. The review is expected to reach conclusions before 30 June.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much extra British coal she estimates will be burned in British power stations in the second quarter of 1998 as a result of the agreement facilitated by the Paymaster General. [25421]

Mrs. Beckett

[holding answer 26 January 1998]: National Power and Eastern Electricity agreed with RJB Mining to accelerate deliveries of 600,000 tonnes between them in the April-June quarter 1998. Power Gen agreed to purchase 1.1 million tonnes from RJB in this period.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the impact of the revised sulphur protocol issued by the Environment Agency on coal mines and jobs in the coal industry. [25418]

Mrs. Beckett

[holding answer 26 January 1998]: Exchanges I have had with the electricity generators suggest that, if implemented, the revised limits proposed by the Environment Agency in a recent consultation paper would have the effect of constraining their purchases of coal and coalburn. My Department is entering into discussions with the Environment Agency and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions about the proposed limits.

Mr. Redwood

To ask the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the amount of coal burned will increase in the second quarter of 1998 as a result of the agreement reached by the Paymaster General with the power generators. [26783]

Mrs. Beckett

Following discussions between the electricity generators and RJB Mining in December 1997, National Power and Eastern Electricity agreed with RJB Mining to accelerate deliveries of 600,000 tonnes between them in the April-June quarter of 1998. Power Gen agreed to purchase 1.1 million tonnes from RJB in this period. The volume of coal burned in the quarter in relation to other quarters will depend upon the decisions of the individual generating companies.