HC Deb 01 December 1994 vol 250 c810W
Mr. Redmond

To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many tonnes of coal were imported by the nationalised electricity power generators in each year between 1980 and denationalisation.

Mr. Charles Wardle

The amount of coal imported by the Central Electricity Generating Board and South of Scotland Electricity Board is shown below. The Department has no records of coal imported by the power producers before 1983 or of any imports by the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board and the Northern Ireland Electricity Service.

Year Thousand tones
19831 1,020
19841 52
19851 2,656
19861 1,186
19871 1,358
19882 1,973
19892,3 1,963
1 Central Electricity Generating Board only.
2 Central Electricity Generating Board and South of Scotland Electricity Board.
3 1989 was the last full year before denationalisation.

Mr. Tipping

To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about the future of British Coal Enterprise following the privatisation of British Coal.

Mr. Eggar

[holding answer 28 November 1994]:The Government and British Coal are currently exploring options for the services provided by British Coal Enterprise. No final decisions have yet been taken about its future.