To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many exemptions from any provisions relating to mines safety have been granted to British Coal by the mines inspectorate in each year since 1979.

The total number of exemptions and consents granted by the Health and Safety Executive mines inspectorate from 1987–88 are as follows:

	Number
1987–88	2,024
1988–89	1,911
11989–90	990
1 Provisional.

It is not possible to give separate figures for exemptions and consents nor information prior to 1987–88 without incurring disproportionate cost.