Mr. W. Joseph Stewartasked the Minister of Labour what is being done by the South-West Durham Improvement Association, the Commissioner for Special Areas, or the Durham County Council with a view to draining the waterlogged coal areas in South-West Durham where over 13,000,000 tons of coal are lying submerged?
§ Mr. Lennox-BoydAs the hon. Member is aware, the Commissioner for the Special Areas has financed an inquiry into means of mitigating the effect of subterranean flooding of the Coal Measures of South-West Durham. As a result two schemes have been suggested: the first for revising and improving existing pumping and drainage arrangements and the second for preventing the intrusion of surface water from the River Gaunless and its tributaries. The first scheme is, I understand, under discussion by the colliery interests concerned and the Commissioner proposes to defer consideration of the second (and smaller) scheme until it is known whether progress can be made with the larger.