§ 73. Sir C. Headlamasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total tonnage produced of opencast coal for the six months ended 30th June last; the total tonnage exported, sold in Great Britain and stocked; and the average price per ton obtained in each case.
§ Mr. GaitskellDuring the six months ended 30th June, 1949, 6,241,000 tons of opencast coal were produced and 6,527,000 tons were sold, the excess tonnage being taken from stock. Four90W hundred and fifty-five thousand tons were exported at an average price of 52s. 10d. per ton. Inland sales totalled 6,072,000 tons at an average price of 40s. 7d. per ton.
§ 74. Sir C. Headlamasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the average calorific value of opencast coal compared with deep mined coal; and the average cost of production per ton in both cases.
§ Mr. GaitskellThere are many thousands of different kinds of coal and the calculation of a weighted average calorific value for those produced from deep mines and opencast sites, respectively, would involve a disproportionate amount of work. I would, however, refer the right hon. and gallant Gentleman to Annex 3 of the Sixth Report of the Select Committee on Estimates which gives some information on the subject. As regards the second part of the Question, preliminary figures show that for the first half of this year the average total production cost of opencast coal was approximately 43s. 1d. a ton and of deep mined coal 44s. 10d. a ton.