§ Mrs. Colquhounasked the Secretary of State for Energy what meetings he is having with the CEGB and the trade unions on the proposals to close power stations throughout the country.
§ Mr. BennFurther to my answer of 15th October—[Vol. 897, c.736–7]—my 270W hon. Friend may now have seen the joint statement issued by the electricity supply industry's National Joint Advisory Council following its meeting on 16th October, at which agreement was reached on the closure of certain stations and the partial shutdown of others. I shall, of course, be discussing the general closure position, as I mentioned, with both the CEGB and the unions; and I am hoping to widen the discussions on future policy decisions to include the National Coal Board and the mining unions, which have a direct interest in the rate of coal burn.