§ Mr. Ripponasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what action the Government propose to take on the recommendation of the Commission on Energy and the Environment that responsibility for opencast planning be transferred to local authorities;
(2) whether he will suspend action on all future applications for authorisation under the Opencast Coal Act 1958 until the Government have made a decision on the implementation of the recommendations of the Commission on Energy and the Environment that responsibility for opencast plannning be transferred to local authorities.
§ Mr. John MooreThe Government are considering the recommendations of the Commission on Energy and the Environment, and hope to reply to them shortly. A change in responsibility for granting planning consent for NCB opencast coal sites, recommended by the commission, would require legislation. It would not be appropriate to suspend action on applications for authorisations under the Opencast Coal Act 1958 until a decision on the CENE recommendation had been taken, or until possible legislation to give effect to the recommendation had been enacted.