HC Deb 13 July 1987 vol 119 cc687-8
1. Mr. Haynes

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress is being made by British Coal regarding mining subsidence compensation claims.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy (Mr. Michael Spicer)

Since 1984, when British Coal revised its procedures, there has been a significant reduction in the time taken to process the majority of claims, and the number of claims outstanding has fallen by 22 per cent.

Mr. Haynes

May I suggest that the Minister has a look at the cases that British Coal is messing about with? British Coal is walking all over the people who have made claims. It is crushing them like insects. Reviews are in progress and it is now being said that there is no more time. The local hospital is now being messed about with. I warn the Minister that if he does not do something, I will be walking all over him.

Mr. Spicer

That sounds an uncomfortable experience. Of course, I am aware of the hon. Gentleman's involvement in a number of cases, particularly as I have just received a letter from him on the subject. I shall certainly take it up with British Coal.

Let me say more generally that as I was a candidate in the colliery town of Easington for 10 years in the 1960s and early 1970s, I am very much aware of the anxiety and distress caused by subsidence. I certainly intend that we should produce as soon as possible our response to the Waddilove report, which deals with those matters. In the meantime, I am pleased to tell the hon. Gentleman that action has been taken to speed up the claims procedure in anticipation of that response.

Mr. Gerald Howarth

Far from walking all over my hon. Friend the Minister, let me take this opportunity of welcoming him warmly to his position on the Front Bench. I am sure that he will bring great distinction to his office.

There is a very real problem over compensation. Is my hon. Friend aware that, in a constituency such as mine, many people are very upset because they find that British Coal is effectively judge and jury in its own cause? It is always British Coal that determines whether subsidence has taken place, which I find very unsatisfactory. Will my hon. Friend bring that problem to bear in his review as quickly as possible?

Mr. Spicer

That will certainly be one of the outstanding matters that must be examined. It is the subject of a number of cases now before us which I am taking up with British Coal.

Mr. Rogers

Is the Minister aware that, during the coal strike, Mr. MacGregor met a group of Members of Parliament and said, in answer to a specific question from me, that the charges for subsidence would be held against the collieries that had created it, and would not be a charge upon other collieries or the industry as a whole? I ask the question because of the peculiar geological circumstances extant in the Nottinghamshire coalfield as compared with, say, south Wales. I do not see why the south Wales colliery should bear the subsidence costs of collieries such as Nottinghamshire. Is the Minister aware of that suggestion, or is it just another of MacGregor's lies? He told enough during the strike.

Mr. Spicer

I shall leave aside the hon. Gentleman's last remark. The whole question of funding and, indeed, allocation is one of the matters that we are having to decide in our response to the Waddilove report.

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