§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list the annual sums of compensation paid out to those adversely affected by opencast coal mining operations from the establishment of the Opencast Mining Executive up to the latest financial year;
(2) how many opencast coal mining sites are being worked in Great Britain, giving the numbers for each region and the estimated total production from opencast coal mining in 1982–83.
§ Mr. John Moore:The annual amounts of compensation claimed from and paid by the National Coal Board as a result of opencast coal mining are not readily available, but I have asked the chairman of the board to write to the hon. Member. The Commission on Energy and the Environment made no recommendations for any changes in the present compensation arrangements.
§ Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Energy what annual claims have been made for financial compensation from persons and organisations suffering environmental damage as a result of opencast coal mining operations; what improvements he visualises as a result of the Flowers commission report on coal and the environment; and if he will make a statement.
355W
§ Mr. John Moore:There are 63 sites authorised under the Opencast Coal Act 1958 currently working in Great Britain: they, together with output from licensed sites processed by the National Coal Board, are expected to produce about 14.7 million tonnes of coal in 1982–83. The number of sites in each of the NCB opencast executive's areas is:
Number Scotland 9 North East 11 North West 9 Central West 9 Central East 15 South West 10