§ Mr. HoodTo ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times LAW Mining has been convicted for polluting rivers with its opencast coaling operations; and if he will give details of decisions against the company.
§ Lord James Douglas-HamiltonThis information is not available from departmental records. I am, however, informed by the Clyde river purification board that LAW Mining was convicted on three occasions between 1986 and 1989 for water pollution offences resulting from opencast coaling operations at Rigmuir and Dykend; fines of £100, £750 and £1,000 were imposed.