§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation to effect a capital reconstruction of the National Coal Board.
§ Mr. David HuntI have no present plans to do so.
§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the revised deficit grant for the National Coal Board proposed for the current year following the end of the miners' strike; and how this figure compares with those for the last five years.
§ Mr. David HuntAs regards the NCB's deficit in the current year, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend has given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Erewash (Mr. Rost). The amounts of deficit grant accrued in the NCB's accounts in the past five years are:
£ million 1979–80 159 1980–81 149 1981–82 428 1982–83 374 1983–84 875