Mr. Eadieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what communications he has received from the chairman of the South of Scotland Electricity Board on future coal burn; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Allan StewartMy right hon. Friend has been informed by the chairman of the terms of the coal 269W purchasing agreement recently concluded between the South of Scotland electricity Board and the National Coal Board and covering the year commencing 1 November 1983; the details of the agreement are a commercial matter between the boards. The SSEB's total coal burn during the year from all sources is estimated to be about 4.5 million tonnes, excluding the effect of any net exchanges of power with England and Wales. For the future, when the use of gas liquid at Peterhead ends, the board expects its total coal burn to return to above 6 million tonnes per annum during the period before Torness is fully commissioned.