Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the speech of the then Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change on 18 November 2015, at the Institution of Civil Engineers, on a new direction for UK energy policy, when he plans to publish the terms of reference for the consultation on coal use; and if he will make a statement.

Most of the UK’s existing coal fired power stations are old, relatively inefficient and require investment to reduce the level of damaging pollutants they emit. I expect to consult shortly on additional measures to close unabated coal stations by 2025.