HL Deb 12 October 1994 vol 557 c115WA
Lord Brougham and Vaux

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they will list the bidders for British Coal's mining assets.

The Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Earl Ferrers)

We received a range of very good bids for the regional coal companies and certain of the care and maintenance collieries. Details of the bids are commercially confidential. However, we have now completed our analysis of the bids and have identified preferred bidders. The preferred bidders are:

  • RJB Mining plc for Central North, Central South and North-East Regional Coal Companies and Thorne and Ellington Care and Maintenance Collieries;
  • Celtic Energy Limited for South Wales;
  • Mining (Scotland) Limited for Scotland;
  • Coal Investments plc for Annesley Bentinck Colliery; and
  • Tower Employee Buyout Team for Tower Colliery.

There will now be a period of detailed negotiation with the preferred bidders, with a view to completing the sales by the end of the year.

Taken with British Coal's successful lease/licence exercise, this means that by January we can expect to see around 30 ex-British Coal collieries in the private sector.