§ Mr. Austin MitchellTo ask the Prime Minister when the Government first received the plans for pit closures from British Coal; and what consideration was given to publishing them immediately.
§ The Prime MinisterThe Government had been aware for some time of British Coal's need to reduce capacity, because of the decline in the market for British coal. In addition, the Department of Trade and Industry and its advisers had made their own assessment of which pits might close, so that it could prepare measures to mitigate the impact, taking into account information from British Coal. British Coal informed my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 12 October of the final list of pits which it proposed to close. British Coal announced the names on 13 October.