§ Mr. CummingsTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he or his Department have had any discussions with prospective purchasers of British Coal mining interests in the north of England.
§ Mr. Michael SpicerThe Government have made clear their ambition to return the coal industry to the private sector, but there are no plans to do so in the present Parliament. Therefore the Department of Energy is not in a position to enter into any substantive discussions about sales of mining assets.