§ 24. Mr. Masonasked the Secretary of State for Energy if, when he next meets the chairman of the National Coal Board, he will discuss the problems being created by the size of coal imports; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerThe volume of coal imports into the United Kingdom is affected by demand for specialist coals which cannot be supplied indigenously in sufficient quantity; by purchasers' confidence in the reliability of United Kingdom supplies; and by the competitiveness of United Kingdom coal at world market prices. All these factors may impinge on the National Coal Board's operations, which I discuss regularly with its chairman.