Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of coal tips in England that (1) pose, and (2) potentially pose, a danger to nearby communities; and what is the estimated cost of addressing any such dangers.

The vast majority of disused tips in England are now in either local authority or private ownership along with the legal responsibility for preventing any danger to the public. The majority of spoil tips were transferred to the current owners following the closure of the coal industry and break up of British Coal (formerly National Coal Board) and disposal of its land. The Coal Authority own eight tips in England, and these are kept under regular inspection with an annual budget allocated to undertake any necessary maintenance and safety works.