PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
MALTBY COLLIERY (30 March 1993)

That this House is dismayed at the President of the Board of Trade's announcement that Maltby colliery is to be put into 'development' thereby sacking between 700 and 800 men and denying the opportunity for 'market testing'; notes that Maltby colliery made ú8 million profit this financial year and is completing a ú200 million investment programme and that the first retreat face on the Parkgate seam is scheduled to come on stream in October 1993; further notes that production costs for March 1993 from the current coal faces in Swallowood and Parkgate seams were ú1.20 per gigajoule and that foreign coal would cost 20 per cent. more; recognises that the consultants, Boyds, appointed by the Government believed the colliery's coal had good marketability as it sells into the electricity supply industry, as house coal, and as sweetening for Selby coal and that recent tests for the coking market proved positive; regrets that the trains to carry the coal from the pit are to stop from Monday 5th April; believes that the plan to cease production by the end of April is not only a waste of the public money invested in the colliery itself, but is also a tragic waste of a skilled and dedicated workforce; further believes that there is no economic case for stopping production at Maltby colliery; and calls on Her Majesty's Government to instruct the British Coal Corporation to justify this act of industrial sabotage.

Sponsored by:
Sir Kevin Barron (Labour)