§ Mr. J. H. Osbornasked the Minister of Power (1) on the basis that the National Coal Board supplies the Central Electricity Generating Board with its annual requirements at 3.7d. per therm, what estimate he has made of the effect on the annual deficit or surplus of the National Coal Board;
(2) on the basis that the National Coal Board supplies the Central Electricity Generating Board with its annual requirements at 4.7d. per therm, what estimate he has made of the effect on the annual deficit or surplus of the National Coal Board;
(3) on the basis that the National Coal Board supplies the Central Electricity Generating Board with its annual requirements at 5.7d. per therm, what estimate he has made of the effect on the annual deficit or surplus of the National Coal Board;
(4) on the basis that the National Coal Board supplies the Central Electricity Generating Board with its annual requirements at 6.7d. per therm, what estimate he has made of the effect on the annual deficit or surplus of the National Coal Board.
§ Mr. FreesonThe average pithead price of coal supplied by the National Coal Board to the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1966–67 was 81 shillings a ton, or roughly 4.2d. per therm. Assuming an annual consumption of about 60 million tons of coal by the C.E.G.B. and no change in the average calorific value, each difference of 1d. per therm would affect the Coal Board's revenue account by about £60 million a year.