Oral Answers to Questions

Dennis Skinner Excerpts

Thursday 19th June 2014 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davey]

I can give my hon. Friend an interim update. As part of our work on the fuel poverty strategy, we are looking at reforms to the warm home discount to make sure that it is more effective.

[Mr Dennis Skinner (Bolsover) (Lab)]

Is the Minister with responsibility for the coal industry aware that when we met the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills to try to get something like £70 million to save the two pits at Thoresby and Kellingley, I inquired about the person sitting at the back and was told that he was representing the Minister? In other words, he was jotting down everything that we said—he was acting on behalf of the Minister alone—and therefore the Business Secretary was not able to talk to us frankly, and when we asked for the £70 million to save the pits, they refused. He was like a spy in the camp.

[Michael Fallon]

I really do not recognise that description of the meeting that I know the hon. Gentleman and his hon. Friends had with my right hon. Friend the Business Secretary. Let me make it clear: I met the unions on Monday, including the National Union of Mineworkers, and we are prepared to look at any new plan brought forward by the directors of UK Coal that will enable us to continue the operation of the two collieries into next year, but any contribution from the Government has to represent full value for money.