§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total number of damage notices served upon the National Coal Board by claimants for compensation in respect of damage caused by mining subsidence for each of the years since 1967.
§ Mr. John Moore[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1981, c. 259]: The board informs me that it does not collect centrally statistics of the total number of new claims in respect of subsidence damage-received by them in each year. It did, however, carry out a special exercise related to the claims received during 1976–77. There were 14,148 of these.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Energy how many dwelling houses have been rendered uninhabitable by damage by subsidence within the provisions of the first schedule to the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act 1957 in each of the years since 1957.
§ Mr. John Moore[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1981, c. 259]: The Board informs me that it does not maintain central records of the numbers of dwelling houses rendered uninhabitable, either temporarily or permanently. However, the board did make a special survey in 1977–78 in two of its areas which were particularly affected by subsidence. In these two areas the board purchased 34 houses in that year, of which 24 were demolished and 10 repaired and resold.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total number of legal actions taken by claimants for compensation under the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act 1957 against the National Coal Board in each of the years since 1957.
§ Mr. John Moore[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1981, c. 259]: Detailed information is not available but the board informs me that the number of legal claimants is very small.
§ Mr. Heddleasked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the total amount of compensation paid by the National Coal Board for damage caused by coal mining subsidence for each of the years since 1957;
(2) if he will estimate the annual cost of damage caused by coal mining subsidence in each of the years since 1957.
§ Mr. John Moore[pursuant to his reply, 16 April 1981c. 259]: The board informs me that the amounts paid in compensation for subsidence damage were as follows:
280W
£ million 1958 2.7 1959 3.1 1960 2.7 1961 2.6 1962 3.3
£ million 1963–64* 4.4 1964–65 3.4 1965–66 4.1 1966–67 4.4 1967–68 5.0 1968–69 5.0 1969–70 5.1 1970–71 5.4 1971–72 6.3 1972–73 6.2 1973–74 7.9 1974–75 10.1 1975–76 14.4 1976–77 17.0 1977–78 26.0 1978–79 30.9 1979–80 42.6 * 15 months It is not possible to estimate the annual cost of subsidence damage other than that for which the board pays compensation.