Orders of the Day — Opencast Coal Bill

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 22 January 1958.

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Photo of Mr Arthur Champion Mr Arthur Champion , Derbyshire South East 12:00, 22 January 1958

Like other speakers, I deplore the necessity for the continuance of opencast coal mining, but, like them also, I welcome the Bill, which is to replace the Defence Regulations under which vie have been working. I am glad to see that we shall now give some permanence to this legislation, even though it is to be hoped that this form of mining will not be perpetuated beyond the period of absolute necessity.

I strongly agree with those who have welcomed the compensation provisions. It so happened that in the Session 1948–49 I chaired a sub-committee of the Estimates Committee which looked into the question of opencast coal mining. At that time we found that the occupier was not compensated for the loss of his livelihood during the period when his land had been taken over. We made some recommendations about that and other matters, and I am glad that much of the harshness which was then part of this job of opencast coal mining has been removed.