§ Brigadier Thorpasked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that the National Coal Board is proposing shortly to start opencast mining on valuable dairyland, near Amble, Northumberland; and if he will consult with the Minister of Fuel and Power with a view to preventing the loss of this land to agriculture.
Mr. T. WilliamsI have been in consultation with my right hon. Friend on the proposal to work the Dandsfield site, near Amble, for opencast coal. After carefully considering the extent of the probable damage to agricultural interests in relation to the quantity of coal which it is expected to obtain, I have reluctantly decided that I must agree that the land should be worked for coal.