Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 30533 on Coal: Mining, whether his Department has plans to ban licences on remaining coal tips.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The recovery of coal from former coal tips does not require licenses from the Mining Remediation Authority, formerly the Coal Authority. The majority of coal tips are in local authority or private ownership which includes legal responsibilities for their safety. Local authorities are the primary authority for coal recovery schemes from tips through planning permission and enforcement.
Previous question for reference
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing.
Answer
The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 30533 on Coal: Mining, what his planned timetable is to introduce legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215 This will be taken forward when timing allows.
Previous question
UIN 30533, tabled on 10 February 2025
Ann Davies Plaid Cymru Caerfyrddin Commons
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing.
Answered on 13 February 2025
Michael Shanks Labour Rutherglen Commons
The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce legislation to ban future coal licensing.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government announced on 14th November 2024 its intention to introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2024-11-14/hcws215
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will meet with coal tip safety groups in Wales to discuss his Department's proposals to ban future coal licences.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The responsibility for ensuring the safety of coal tips is a matter for the landowners and/or the Local Authority in most instances and is separate to the coal licensing duties in the 1994 Coal Industry Act.
The Government recognises the importance of ensuring coal tip safety and just how much this issue resonates with local communities, particularly in the South Wales valleys, that is why the Government announced funding of £25m in 25/26 to the Welsh Government in the Budget, for making coal tips safe.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to replicate the changes announced for the Mineworkers Pension Scheme to the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the honourable member to the response from my honourable friend the Minister for Industry on 29 January 2025 (UIN 25410).
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the cost of remedial work due to be carried out in properties in Wales as a result of work undertaken through the (a) ECO4 scheme and (b) Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Remediation costs can differ significantly from one property to another. All insulation under ECO4 must be installed by a TrustMark-registered installer, and covered by a TrustMark approved 25 year guarantee. The government has previously published guidance for consumers who suspect that they may have faulty cavity wall insulation installed in their home outlining the routes to redress under these circumstances. CIGA is a non-profit organisation that issues guarantee certificates for cavity wall insulation installations. DESNZ does not have oversight of CIGA’s business activities, or the number of certificates issued by it, or where these have been called upon for remediation.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the (a) oversight and (b) remedial mechanisms of the (i) ECO4 scheme and (ii) Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Since 2019, installations under Government backed energy efficiency schemes, including ECO4, have been required to be carried out by TrustMark registered publicly available specification (PAS2030) certified installers alongside an insurance backed guarantee. Consumers have a route to redress, with remedial work arranged through the original installer and oversight from the relevant scheme provider for quality and auditing, or through the guarantee if installers have ceased to trade.
Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) is a non-profit organisation that provides guarantee certificates for cavity wall insulation measures. The Department has no oversight of CIGA’s business activities, including the number of certificates issued and/or recalled for remediation.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of properties in Wales waiting for remedial work as a result of work undertaken through the (a) ECO4 scheme and (b) Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All insulation under ECO4 must be installed by a TrustMark-registered installer, and covered by a TrustMark approved 25 year guarantee. The Government has previously published guidance for consumers who suspect that they may have faulty cavity wall insulation installed in their home outlining the routes to redress under these circumstances.
Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) is a non-profit organisation that provides guarantee certificates for cavity wall insulation measures. The Department has no oversight of CIGA’s business activities, or the number of certificates issued by it, or where these have been called upon for remediation.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what cost comparison he has made of repairing (a) overhead and (b) underground power lines following storm damage.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The benefits and costs of investing in under grounding power lines were considered following Storm Arwen in 2021. As noted in the Storm Arwen Review Final Report, investing in undergrounding would not be a cost-effective on long spur routes that serve smaller numbers of customers.
It is not possible to make the network be fully resistant to severe weather. Undergrounding comes at a cost of up to 20 times that of overhead lines, before secondary costs and disruption are factored in. Whilst underground cables are prone to fewer faults, they incur longer repair times when a fault does occur.