Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 9 March 2021 to Question 163164, what steps his Department plans to take to prevent applications being granted for coal mines which would affect goals of achieving net zero carbon by 2050.

The Government is committed to clean growth and we are taking action to reduce our reliance on coal. We have set out our aim to end electricity generation from unabated coal by 2025 and we are also taking action to reduce coal use in industry and heating.

In terms of planning policy, the National Planning Policy Framework is already clear that planning permission should not be granted for the extraction of coal unless the proposal is environmentally acceptable or the national, local or community benefits outweigh its likely effects. The National Planning Policy Framework is capable of being a material consideration in the determination of all applications for coal extraction in England. Given the Secretary of State's role in the planning system, it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits or relevant considerations of current or future applications for coal extraction.