Mr. Andy StewartTo ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action is proposed by his Department on clean coal technology.
§ Mr. BaldryThe Government attach great importance to developing clean coal technologies and technologies aimed at maximising the economically recoverable coal from indigenous coal reserves.
We are, therefore, carrying out a major review of our coal research programme and plan to publish a new strategy as an energy paper early next summer. To help us develop this new strategy my Department has established a new advisory body—the coal task force. The task force held its first meeting this morning. Over the next few months it will examine all aspects of coal research, including extraction, coal preparation, utilisation and conversion.