§ Mr. David NicholsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the consultation paper on the reform of old mineral permissions.
§ Mr. CurryThe consultation paper on reform of old mineral permissions granted between 1948 and 1981 is to be published today.
This consultation paper follows on from the options paper issued by my Department two years ago in March 1992 as part of the review of the operation of the Minerals Act 1981. That paper received a wide ranging and diverse response which has informed today's specific proposals for reform.
The Government recognise that minerals are vital to our economy and I am very pleased that the minerals industry recognises that it has a duty to the public to operate to high environmental standards and to be considerate neighbours to those communities most affected by mining. We want to develop and extend the good work done by the industry and are determined to secure improved operating and environmental standards for all old mining permissions granted between 1948 and 1981.
One of the points made most forcibly to us in the response to the 1992 paper was the need to establish a level playing field between minerals operators regardless of the date when their permissions were granted. At the moment holders of modern permissions and reformed IDO permissions granted between 1943 and 1948 are perceived to be at a disadvantage. We are determined to update standards as a whole across the range of these permissions and are concerned that quicker action has not been taken under the existing powers introduced by the Minerals Act 1981. We are therefore proposing a statutory timetable for reviews and for the updating of conditions. There are also particular proposals for dealing with ancillary mining development, compensation, and change to the 2042 expiry date for pre-1982 permissions as well as consideration of other issues including minerals waste tipping.