Oral Answers to Questions

Ian Lavery Excerpts

Wednesday 24th June 2026 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I want the hon. Member’s children to feel safe in this country, and I will do everything to make sure that they are. We will all fight anti-Muslim hatred with everything that we have got. An attack on one is an attack on all of us. That is what I said at the top of PMQs, and I hope he heard it.

[Ian Lavery (Blyth and Ashington) (Lab)]

Q13. The Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation, a miners’ charity established in the 1920s to support the miners in their communities, has carried out some incredible work with some incredible employees, but the current leadership team is increasingly detached from its founding principles. Miners’ welfare, sporting facilities and community facilities have been allowed to rot and to close with little to no support from CISWO. At the same time, CISWO has amassed £30 million in the bank. Does the Prime Minister agree that it is time that the charity faced not only a Charity Commission inquiry, but serious reform of its policies, practices and finances? It should benefit the former mining communities it was founded to serve, instead of constructing a £30 million ivory tower for the future.

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this important issue. I know that Members across the House have raised issues with the organisation directly. It is imperative that these communities are listened to. I understand that the Charity Commission has opened a compliance case, but I will get that confirmed for him. I am proud that this Government have stood up for mining communities, including ending the injustice of coal pension schemes, increasing the pensions of more than 150,000 former British Coal employees. I thank him for raising this case.