HC Deb 31 July 1997 vol 299 c642W
Mr. Clapham

To ask the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of opencast coal mined in the United Kingdom for the last complete year in which figures are available was(a) used for sweetening purposes and (b) went to the power station market. [11987]

Mr. Battle

Of 16,315,000 tonnes of total opencast production in 1996, over half went to the power stations market. The proportion of opencast coal used in the United Kingdom for sweetening purposes is not available.