asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the extent to which the coal strike will lead to a suspension of smoke control orders; which region of the country he estimates will be worst hit environmentally; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry that if the strike continues, distributed stocks of bituminous coal will last no longer than stocks of solid smokeless fuel. There will, therefore, be no point in supending smoke control orders, except where unusual circumstances may obtain locally.