Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the proposed ‘Bradley’ open-cast coal mine in Pont Valley, County Durham on the UK meeting its carbon reduction targets in the Climate Change Act 2008.

The Secretary of State is currently considering requests to revoke the planning permission, granted on 3 June 2015, for surface coal mining at the Bradley site. These requests are being considered in the light of the current policy on revocation. I am therefore unable to comment on any aspects of this proposal as to do so is likely to be prejudicial. As a decision is reached however the Secretary of State will take into account the matters raised in the requests, including those set out in your correspondence of 1 March. A decision will be issued shortly.