Orders of the Day — Coal Industry

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 12:00 am on 20 March 1972.

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Photo of Mr Peter Rees Mr Peter Rees , Dover 12:00, 20 March 1972

If it was accepted, presumably the mining industry felt that it was justified. If it was not accepted, perhaps the hon. Gentleman will have an opportunity to enlarge on the point that he is making.

The hon. Member for Blyth dragged across the trail that rather old and pungent red herring about borrowings from the Government by the board. What the hon. Gentleman did not emphasise—and, frankly, hon. Gentlemen opposite rarely emphasise this—is that four-fifths of Government borrowings have been written off over the last five years and the interest on the outstanding borrowings, substantial though it must be by any standard, being £30 million, is not ultimately going to make or break this great industry.

As regards the rents of houses owned, or once owned, by the board, if the rents go up, then, in view of what the hon. Gentleman said about pensions paid to people who formerly worked in the coal industry, I am confident that they will be eligible for rent rebates because of the far-sighted Measure which the Government have introduced and are still fighting through Committee.

It was not those small points that I wanted to take up. I tell the hon. Gentleman that on his major contribution—a far-reaching review of the industry—I find myself almost entirely in agreement with him. I shall come to that in due course.

This Supplementary Estimate is an inevitable consequence of the acceptance by the board of the Wilberforce Committee's recommendations. Tonight I shall not analyse or quarrel with Lord Wilberforce's recommendations. I have never believed in quarrelling with a referee, or even with the Chair in this House.