§ Mr. CanavanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list all those areas in England and Wales for which planning permission has been granted for opencast mining.
§ Mr. YeoInformation on the areas in England and Wales where planning permission has been granted for opencast mining is not held centrally. According to statistics published by the County Planning Officers Society 41 sites in England and Wales received approval in 1989–90 (including on appeal) as follows:
Number Durham 10 Northumberland 1 Tyne and Wear 1 Cumbria 1 Leicestershire 2 Staffordshire 1 Shropshire 4 West Midlands 2 Derbyshire 6 South Yorkshire 3 West Yorkshire 3 Merseyside 3 Mid Glamorgan 2 West Glamorgan 2 Gwent 1