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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the Government's policy is on planning permission for the creation of additional opencast coal mines.

The Government is committed to clean growth and we are taking action to reduce our reliance on coal. We have set out our aim to end electricity generation from unabated coal by 2025 and we are also taking action to reduce coal use in industry and heating.

In terms of planning policy, the National Planning Policy Framework is already clear that planning permission should not be granted for the extraction of coal unless the proposal is environmentally acceptable or the national, local or community benefits outweigh its likely impacts. The National Planning Policy Framework is a material consideration in the determination of all applications for coal extraction in England.