§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cost to the Central Electricity Generating Board for stocking coal; and how much is covered by stocking grant.
§ Mr. Mellor[pursuant to his reply, 20 December 1982, c. 325.]: I am advised by the CEGB that the cost to the board of putting coal to stock and reclaiming it is some £1 to £3 per tonne depending on the location and on the level of stocks at individual sites. The cost of maintaining coal in stock is some £5 to £7 per tonne per annum, depending again upon the location and upon interest rates.
There are no grants to the CEGB for commercial stocking arrangements. Where the board has put imported 418W coal into stock on the Continent or accepted NCB coal on deferred payment terms it has been compensated for any extra costs by a reducion in the NCB's charges for commercial deliveries.