HC Deb 05 May 1993 vol 224 cc108-9W
Mr. Churchill

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what have been the average level of coal stocks held(a) by British Coal and (b) by the generators in each of the past five years; and what guidance he is giving each in respect of stock levels in the current and two subsequent years.

Mr. Eggar

The average levels of coal stocks held by the electricity generators and British Coal in each of the last five years were:

British Coal United Kingdom electricity generators
(thousand tonnes) (thousand tonnes)
1988 6,105 25,813
1989 9,851 27,975
1990 8,593 26,895
1991 9,827 28,942
1992 12,632 31,989

The current stocking requirements are set out in the Government's White Paper, "The Prospects for Coal" (Cmnd 2235). As envisaged in the White Paper, consultations are taking place about stocking arrangements for 1993–94 and following years.