Has the Welsh Government engaged with the UK Government to advocate for legislative amendments that would close the loophole allowing coal tip extraction without a central license, and if not, will the Cabinet Secretary commit to doing so?
While the extraction of coal from disused tips does not require a licence under the Coal Industry Act 1994, as this coal is no longer owned by the Mining Remediation Authority, planning permission is required to modify tips and to extract the coal.
As a result, the Welsh Government’s coal policy already provides the protection being sought in relation to coal tips, especially when considered alongside the requirements of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, the wider objectives of Planning Policy Wales, and our commitment to phase out the use of fossil fuels in energy generation.
The Welsh Government continues to work with the UK Government to ensure the operations of the Mining Remediation Authority support our policies in Wales.