§ Mr. Grocottasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will publish the names and qualifications, as soon as these are known, of the people on the short list of candidates for appointment as the next chairman of the Coal Board;
(2) if he will see that the job of chairman of the Coal Board is advertised in the national Press when next the job becomes vacant;
(3) if he will publish the names and qualifications of those who will form the interview panel to choose the next chairman of the Coal Board from a short list of candidates;
(4) if he will publish in the Official Report details of the procedures that are involved in deciding who shall be chairman of the Coal Board when the present Chairman's contract expires in the summer.
§ Mr. EadieMy right hon. Friend will be making an announcement about the Chairmanship of the National Coal Board in due course. As and when vacancies arise on boards for which he is responsible he makes the appointments after carrying out such consultations as he deems necessary in each case. It is not the normal practice to reveal the names of those considered for appointments of this nature.