Written question asked by Paddy Tipping (Labour) on Thursday, 11 November 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 18 November 2004. It was answered by Mike O'Brien (Labour) on Thursday, 18 November 2004 on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry.

Dept of Trade and Industry

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what financial assistance has been made available to companies operating the Harworth and Welbeck collieries in the past five years; whether all such finance has been paid; what recent discussions she has held about the collieries' future; and if she will make a statement. - Inc table (Holding answer 17 November 2004).

Answer: Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial assistance has been made available to companies operating the Harworth and Welbeck collieries in the past five years; whether all such finance has been paid; what recent discussions she has held about the collieries' future; and if she will make a statement. [198529] Mr. Mike O'Brien: [holding answer 17 November 2004]: The following table sets out payments to UK Coal plc since 2000: £ _________________________________________________________________________________________________. UK coal operating aid scheme Coal investment aid Tranche 1 Tranche 2 Total paid Period 1 Period 2 Paid to date Total 52,988,500 22,011,500 75,000,000 37,464,853 13,985,116 5,072,407 Of which: Harworth 13,609,000 -- 13,609,000 4,648,000 1,717,800 1,085,508 Welbeck -- -- -- 5,244,000 2,541,989 918,493 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. No substantive discussions have been held recently about the collieries' futures. UK Coal have advised us that both are "in review" following operationally difficult periods but hope that this will lead to the development of revised mining plans which will secure the future of both pits.

Secondary information