HC Deb 15 November 1977 vol 939 cc145-7W
Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now give, at November 1977 prices, the latest equivalent to the figure of £400 million at March 1976 prices given in "Coal for the Future" of the possible annual expenditure to achieve coal production of 170 million tons by the end of the century, which had risen to £470 million at March 1977 prices at 24th June 1977.

Mr. Eadie

The equivalent figure at November 1977 price levels is £510 million.

Mr. Michael Latham

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now give, at November 1977 prices, a revised estimate of the cost of "Plan for Coal", which was originally £1,400 million at March 1974 prices, £2,440 million at March 1976 prices, but was subsequently revised to £3,150 million on the basis of changed assumptions, and £3,710 million at March 1977 prices; and whether he will break the latest figure down into major projects and other expenditure.

Mr. Eadie

The equivalent total figure at November 1977 prices is £4,040 million. The breakdown between major projects and other expenditure is:

Major projects … … £2,120 million
Other expenditure … … £1,920 million

Mr. Tebbit

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the difference between the statistics given in his answer to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) Official Report, 9th November, column 103, which indicate an increase in productivity amongst persons employed in coal mining and those given in his answer to the hon. Member, Official Report, 9th November, column 104, which indicate a fall in National Coal Board employees productivity over the same period.

Mr. Eadie

The figures in the answer to the hon. Member related to financial years whilst those in the answer to the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) related to calendar years. The effect of industrial action on output per employee and the different way in which figures for calendar years are so affected compared with those for financial years make it difficult to draw valid comparisons.

Colliery output per NCB employee expressed in terms of calendar years is as follows:

ton
1972 … … … … 344
1973 … … … … 387
1974 … … … … 328
1975 … … … … 382
1976 … … … … 366