HC Deb 22 January 1993 vol 217 cc492-3W
Mr. Clappison

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has to publish the consultants' reports commissioned as part of the coal review.

Mr. Heseltine

I announced on 20 November that I had appointed consultants to report as part of the coal review. John T. Boyds was to examine the viability of each of the 21 pits proposed for closure last October, and not subject to the statutory consultation process being undertaken by British Coal; Ernst & Young was to investigate the competitiveness of British Coal as an organisation; Caminus Energy Ltd. was to investigate the markets for coal; and PIMS Associates Ltd. was to examine British Coal's costs and productivity in comparison with international benchmarks. Caminus and Boyds have, in addition, jointly produced a summary of their reports.

I sent copies of all these reports and the summary to the Chairman of the Trade and Industry Select Committee yesterday, and am arranging for them to be published today. I have placed a copy of my letter together with copies of the reports and the summary in the Library.