§ David WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the proposed insurance scheme and related matters for householders whose properties are affected by mine shafts. [133555]
§ Nigel Griffiths[holding answer 21 October 2003]: At the end of last month, the Coal Authority launched an initiative to provide alongside every residential mining report it produces, insurance cover which will mitigate against any loss of property value, up to a maximum of £20,000, attributable to any material change of the mining information revealed in any subsequent mining report on the same property. At the same time the Authority introduced an interpretive mining report service which will provide more detailed analysis and advice about mine entries including a risk assessment as to whether, in the expert opinion of the Coal Authority, the main building of a property is inside or outside the possible zone of ground movement from any reported mine entry.
The Coal Authority has developed these services under the auspices of the Department's Mineshafts Working Group, established last year to explore initiatives which might ameliorate the blighting effect which the proximity of historic coal mineshafts is perceived to have on certain properties, particularly in the West Midlands. The Coal Authority is also investigating the scope for development of non-invasive detection techniques capable of locating mining features in built-up environments. The Authority continues to work closely with property practitioners at a local level with a view to raising awareness of the very low statistical risk which historic mineshafts represent.
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