Asked by: Grahame Morris (Labour - Easington)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will consider the potential merits of a specific grant scheme for mine water heat projects.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is accelerating deployment of low-carbon technologies, including geothermal. Water from coal mines and sewer systems offers strong potential for heat networks. Projects can apply to the Green Heat Network Fund for support. The Mining Remediation Authority has published opportunity maps for geothermal deployment.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the mine water geothermal heat project recently piloted in Gateshead, what steps his Department is taking to support the development and rollout of low-cost, ecological, alternative carbon heating systems using geothermal energy from flooded coal mines or sewer systems.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we are accelerating low-carbon technologies, including geothermal. Water from coal mines and sewer systems offers strong potential for heat networks. Projects can apply to the Green Heat Network Fund for support. DESNZ promotes sewer heat recovery as a reliable urban heat source, given its stable temperatures and alignment with demand. To ensure sustainable deployment, DESNZ issued Exclusion Zone Guidance to protect sewer thermal integrity and avoid conflicts between abstraction points, giving developers and water companies confidence in performance and investment. The Mining Remediation Authority has also published opportunity maps.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on support for the development and rollout of low‑cost, low‑carbon mine water geothermal heating systems in Scotland.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
Whilst building energy efficiency policy is devolved to the Scottish Government, I recognise the potential of low carbon technologies, including geothermal, to help us achieve net zero at the lowest cost. The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure our respective net zero strategies align.
Moreover the Mining Remediation Authority, which works with a range of partners across Great Britain, has released ‘opportunity maps’, to inform the potential for mine water heat applications:
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the United Kingdom’s (a) identified and (b) recoverable coal resource in millions of tonnes.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As of June 2025, the Coal Authority (now the Mining Remediation Authority) estimates that there were 68 million tonnes of economically recoverable coal resources in the United Kingdom. Source: DUKES_2025_Chapter_2.pdf
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using geothermal heat from former, flooded coal mines to help reach his Department's clean energy targets.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we must look at how to accelerate all low carbon technologies including geothermal. The Government recognises that the mine water from coal mines shows good potential as a renewable source for heat networks. The government is therefore supporting such mine water schemes as Gateshead and Seaham Garden Village through the Heat Network Investment Project and the Green Heat Network Fund. The Mining Remediation Authority has also released opportunity maps for 10 Cities in England Mine Water Heat Opportunity Mapping for 10 Cities in England - data.gov.uk
Asked by: Jon Trickett (Labour - Normanton and Hemsworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much her Department has given the National Coal Mining Museum in Wakefield in grants in the last five years.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DCMS has not provided any funding directly to the National Coal Mining Museum for England (NCMME) in the last five years. The Department provides funding to the Science Museum Group (SMG) with agreement that SMG in turn provides an annual grant payment to NCMME. This provision of grant funding is managed directly between SMG and NCMME and the annual amounts are published as part of the SMG accounts.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the distribution of financial awards by the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As an MP representing a mining community and previous member of the Coalfields Communities APPG, I understand the concerns raised about the performance of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO). As a constituency MP I have spoken to both ex-miners and stakeholders about the practices of CISWO. I would strongly encourage CISWO to strengthen its engagement with the coalfield communities that it was established to support.
As the Minister for Civil Society, I have met with the Charity Commission to discuss CISWO’s support for coal mining communities, and I know that the Charity Commission is in contact with CISWO directly. CISWO is an independent charity that does not receive direct government funding. It is for the charity trustees to make decisions about how it should deliver its charitable purpose. If the trustees are acting within the law, fulfilling their duties and furthering their charitable purpose, the Charity Commission cannot become involved in the internal decision making of a charity.
Asked by: David Smith (Labour - North Northumberland)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with ex-miners and stakeholders on the financial practices of CISWO.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
As an MP representing a mining community and previous member of the Coalfields Communities APPG, I understand the concerns raised about the performance of the Coal Industry Social Welfare Organisation (CISWO). As a constituency MP I have spoken to both ex-miners and stakeholders about the practices of CISWO. I would strongly encourage CISWO to strengthen its engagement with the coalfield communities that it was established to support.
As the Minister for Civil Society, I have met with the Charity Commission to discuss CISWO’s support for coal mining communities, and I know that the Charity Commission is in contact with CISWO directly. CISWO is an independent charity that does not receive direct government funding. It is for the charity trustees to make decisions about how it should deliver its charitable purpose. If the trustees are acting within the law, fulfilling their duties and furthering their charitable purpose, the Charity Commission cannot become involved in the internal decision making of a charity.
Asked by: Matt Bishop (Labour - Forest of Dean)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made on bringing forward legislative proposals to amend the Coal Industry Act 1994 to prohibit new coal extraction licences; and if he will ensure that those legislative proposals protect the rights of freeminers in the Forest of Dean.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
On 14 November 2024 we announced that we will introduce new legislation as soon as possible to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines. Under our plans, the historic rights of Freeminers in the Forest of Dean will be exempted and can continue.
Asked by: Graeme Downie (Labour - Dunfermline and Dollar)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance he has given to the Mining Remediation Authority on (a) property (i) conveyancing and (ii) valuation in Scotland and (b) their implications for compensation offers to homeowners affected by old mine workings.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The circumstances for purchasing property damaged by old coal mine workings are covered in the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991. This includes gaining agreement with individual property owners on the full market value of the property in its undamaged condition based on independent local valuations. In addition, there is also a payment for all reasonable moving expenses, professional fees and home loss compensation capped at £15,000. Where required, payment for temporary accommodation is also covered. Buying properties in Scotland is covered by the missives process which differs to the process of buying properties in England and Wales.