Ian Lavery
Main Page: Ian Lavery (Labour - Blyth and Ashington)
Matthew Hancock
I would be absolutely delighted to visit Cleethorpes and the Humber estuary, which is increasingly a crucial cluster for our energy supplies and energy security. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend for all his activity, and for his promotion of Cleethorpes and the whole of Humberside, specifically with regard to the role that they play in our energy generation.
Ian Lavery (Wansbeck) (Lab)
What role does the Minister see for the British deep-mine coal industry in future energy supply and future energy security in the UK?
Matthew Hancock
I have been working hard with UK Coal to ensure that we can refinance it. The Government have put in a £4 million loan on a commercial basis, so we are working incredibly hard in that regard. The hon. Gentleman should also take up this matter with his own Front-Bench team who voted to accelerate the closure of coal-fired power stations, which would of course to help to undermine the coal mining industry.