asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has yet received any specifis proposals from the NCB justifying a possible annual coal output of 200 million tons by 2000 AD; what action he has taken on them; and what costings have been provided by the NCB to support such a target.

The National Coal Board provided to a recent tripartite meeting of the Government, the Board and the unions, a range of forecasts of coal production and demand looking to the end of the century. My right hon. Friend is still examining these and hopes to publish a report in due course.