§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the total acreage covered by the Vale of Belvoir coal project, the size of the population living on 829W the surface area, the number of farms involved, classification of the agricultural land and the type of agriculture undertaken;
(2) of the surface facilities proposed in the Vale of Belvoir, namely, mines, shafts, buildings, waste disposal areas and appurtenances, what total area they are likely to occupy;
(3) if he will give an approximate date of the initial operations in the Vale of Belvoir and the commencement of production;
(4) how it is proposed that the waste from the projected mines in the Vale of Belvoir should be dealt with and specifically the percentage of the total to be retained underground and the percentage to he distrihuted over the surface areas;
(5) how it is proposed to deal with subsidence caused by mining in the Vale of Belvoir; and what fall in the land surface would be permitted in the operation;
(6) how it is proposed to deal with the water-bearing measures which may constitute a major hazard to underground operations in the Vale of Belvoir;
(7) what are the anticipated yields of output per manshift for each the following seams: Deepmain, Parkgate, Tonbright and Dunsil-Waterloo in the Vale of Belvoir project.
§ Mr. EadieThe National Coal Board is undertaking a further feasibility study on mining in the Vale of Belvoir and has yet to formulate any firm proposals or to submit a plan. It is therefore not possible at this stage to answer these Questions.
§ Mr. Kenneth Clarkeasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the Government will take and announce their decision on whether there is any economic justification for public investment in the extraction of coal from the Vale of Belvoir before or after the NCB has made a planning application or obtained any planning consent for mining in the Vale.
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§ Mr. EadieI would expect the NCB to submit to the Government its economic and technical appraisal of any proposal to mine coal in the Vale of Belvoir after the Board had received planning consent and knew what conditions, if any, were attached to the consent.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set up a planning inquiry commission under Section 47 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 to examine and report upon issues under Section 48 of that Act relating to the proposed Vale of Belvoir coal mining project.
§ Mr. Denis HowellI have been asked to reply.
This is a matter which my right hon. Friend will consider if and when a relevant planning application is made and in the light of the circumstances which then obtain.