Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to end Government support for the Whitehaven Coal Mine in the context of the UK’s climate commitments under the Paris and Glasgow COP Agreements.

A public inquiry examining the proposal for a new coking coal mine in Cumbria took place in September and October.  Following the close of that inquiry, the independent planning Inspector who oversaw it is preparing a report and recommendation for Ministers to consider.  As with all planning cases that come to Ministers to decide, once that report is received a timetable for issuing a final decision will be set.