§ 18. Mr. G. Jegerasked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of land has been taken over for 3W opencast mining during the past eight years; how much has been restored for agricultural use; how much is now being used for opencast mining; and how much is under cultivation at present but under notice for future opencast operation.
§ Mr. MaudlingI have been asked to reply. Between 1st January, 1951 and 31st December, 1958, 50,000 acres of land were requisitioned for opencast coal mining. During the same period 48,000 acres were restored to agricultural use. On 31st December last, 36,000 acres were being used for opencast coal mining; the area under cultivation but under notice for future opencast operations was negligible.