Written question WQ87755
- Asked by
- Jane DoddsLib Dem
- To be answered by
- Minister for Climate Change
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 10 days
Question
Will the Minister build on the Government's coal policy statement of March 2021 to issue a clear ban, to the extent possible within the Wales Act 2017, on all forms of future coal mining and for any purpose?
Answer
Answered by Minister for Climate Change
Our coal policy makes it very clear that our intent is to bring to a managed end, the extraction and use of coal in Wales. Welsh Ministers do not intend to authorise any new Coal Authority mining operation licences or variations to existing licences with the presumption always being against coal extraction.
We will use the powers available to us through the Wales Act 2017 and the associated Section 26A provision of the Coal Industry Act 1994 to that end.