§ Mr. Chris Smithasked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide a detailed breakdown of funds provided for research into renewable energy forms for each of the past five financial years, and the amounts currently allocated for the present financial year.
§ Mr. David HuntMy Department's expenditure on individual technologies for each of the past five financial years and the budget provision for the current financial year is as follows:
I regret that the footnote to my answer of 12 March, at columns 281–82, should have read:
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985, which came into effect on 1 April 1986, required the reporting of accidents which were not originally included. The figures for 1986–87 will therefore be calculated on a different basis to earlier years.Source: British Coal Corporation.
Mr. Andy Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received any representations from the British Coal Corporation under sections 6 and 7 of the Coal Industry Act 1987.
§ Mr. Peter WalkerI have received representations from the British Coal Corporation under section 7 of the Coal Industry Act 1987 stating that the UDM represents a substantial proportion of the members of the mineworkers pension scheme (MPS) but lacks the right to participate fully in that scheme.
I have also received representions from the British Coal Corporation under section 6 of the Coal Industry Act 1987 stating that there are four organisations representing a substantial proportion of the corporation's employees or of any class of them who do not enjoy as of right full participation in the social welfare body known as the Coal 249W Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO). These are the Union of Democratic Mineworkers (UDM) and the Association of Professional, Executive, Clerical and Computing Staff (APEX), the British Association of Colliery Management (BACM) and the National Association of Colliery Overmen, Deputies and Shotfirers (NACODS).
Having considered these representations, I propose to make orders under sections 6 and 7 to permit such participation, and my Department has sent formal letters of consultation on the appropriate changes to the memorandum and articles of association of CISWO and to the MPS to the corporation, those organisations and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM), as required under the Act. They have been asked to make such representations as they may wish by 15 June.
The Government made clear during the passage of the Act their determination to see removed injustices in these areas caused by NUM intransigence.