§ 34. Mr. Osborneasked the Paymaster-General his estimate of the effect that the development in the next five years of the 6W atom as a new cheap source of home-produced power will have on employment in the coal mines and the further large-scale capital investment in that industry.
§ Sir I. HorobinThe contribution of nuclear energy and oil is essential towards meeting our growing needs of energy but coal will remain the foundation of our fuel economy. We must therefore have an efficient coal industry producing the grades required in the appropriate quantities and at reasonable prices, and large-scale capital investment will continue to be needed for this purpose. As for employment, I have no reason to disagree with the long-term estimates of the Board in its programme "Investing in Coal" although these must, of course, be kept under review.