That this House sends a message of wholehearted support to the people of Aberfan, Merthyr Vale and surrounding communities in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster on 21 October 1966 that resulted in the loss of 116 children and 28 adults, an event of such unimaginable and devastating loss that touched the world and robbed a community of a generation.

That this House sends a message of wholehearted support to the people of Aberfan, Merthyr Vale and surrounding communities in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Aberfan Disaster on 21 October 1966 that resulted in the loss of 116 children and 28 adults, an event of such unimaginable and...

That this House notes that on 9 July 2013 UK Coal announced that industry-wide pension funds would enter into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF); understands that pensions accrued after privatisation of British Coal in 1994 will be administered by the PPF; expresses dismay at plans to reduce these pensions by 10 per cent; further notes with alarm the removal of the entitlement of miners and widows to receive a fuel or cash allowance; considers the weak inflation protection within the PPF to be a long-term threat to the well-being of miners and their families; and calls on the Government to reverse these cuts and to support mining villages and towns with full pensions and fuel rights.

That this House notes that on 9 July 2013 UK Coal announced that industry-wide pension funds would enter into the Pension Protection Fund (PPF); understands that pensions accrued after privatisation of British Coal in 1994 will be administered by the PPF; expresses dismay at plans to reduce these pensions by...

That this House is aware that UK legislation covering access to industrial injuries disablement benefits and appropriate compensation for noise-induced hearing loss is currently woefully inadequate, a factor proven by the exemption from valid claims of thousands of workers whose health has been damaged directly because of their employers use of pneumatic percussion tools to drill stone or other solid substances other than in the severely restricted confines of a quarry, underground coalmine, shaft or tunnelling works; believes such blatantly unfair legal discrimination should not be countenanced; and calls on the Government immediately to take all necessary steps to bring forward amendments to the Social Security Contribution and Benefits Act 1992 and thereafter accordingly to bring forward all necessary changes to the Social Security (Industrial Injuries) Prescribed Diseases Regulations.

That this House is aware that UK legislation covering access to industrial injuries disablement benefits and appropriate compensation for noise-induced hearing loss is currently woefully inadequate, a factor proven by the exemption from valid claims of thousands of workers whose health has been damaged directly because of their employers use...

That this House welcomes the Government's acceptance of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council recommendations that osteoarthritis of the knee be declared an industrial disease for coal miners and payments under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme be made available shortly for those disabled by the condition; notes that certain firms of solicitors are seeking to make yet more money out of disabled miners by offering to assist them complete their application forms at a cost of ??300 when applications to the Department of Work and Pensions are cost-free; and believes that this activity combined with the likelihood that litigation will grind on for years at an enormous cost makes an overwhelming case for the introduction of a no-fault compensation scheme.

That this House welcomes the Government's acceptance of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council recommendations that osteoarthritis of the knee be declared an industrial disease for coal miners and payments under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme be made available shortly for those disabled by the condition; notes that certain firms...

That this House calls on the Department for Work and Pensions to accept the recommendation of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, whose report it has been considering since August 2008, and declare A14 Osteoarthritis of the Knee a prescribed disease in relation to coalmining with an early implementation date, opening the way for this group of mostly elderly sufferers to claim an award of industrial injuries benefit.

That this House calls on the Department for Work and Pensions to accept the recommendation of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, whose report it has been considering since August 2008, and declare A14 Osteoarthritis of the Knee a prescribed disease in relation to coalmining with an early implementation date, opening...

That this House urges the Government to begin discussions with the trustees of the coal industry pension schemes to consider how best to implement the joint statement of 17th January 2002 issued by the Government and the coal industry pension trustees declaring that `both the Government and the trustees recognise that there have been changes in circumstances since 1994. They have therefore agreed to explore how these changes might best be reflected in revisions to the 1994 arrangements which would benefit members'.

That this House urges the Government to begin discussions with the trustees of the coal industry pension schemes to consider how best to implement the joint statement of 17th January 2002 issued by the Government and the coal industry pension trustees declaring that `both the Government and the trustees recognise...

That this House passes on its condolences to the families of the miners who were killed in the Fallahill pit disaster of 1901, four of whose bodies were never recovered.

That this House passes on its condolences to the families of the miners who were killed in the Fallahill pit disaster of 1901, four of whose bodies were never recovered.

That this House is concerned to learn that families of former miners who were diagnosed to be suffering with bronchitis only and paid a settlement on that basis under the Coal Health Scheme are unable to obtain further compensation when a post mortem examination reveals that the diagnosis was erroneous; notes that a number of such cases have shown former miners were suffering from extensive emphysema and other dust-related respiratory diseases; and calls on the Department of Trade and Industry to instruct their insurers to pay further compensation where there is evidence that the original settlement was based on an incorrect diagnosis.

That this House is concerned to learn that families of former miners who were diagnosed to be suffering with bronchitis only and paid a settlement on that basis under the Coal Health Scheme are unable to obtain further compensation when a post mortem examination reveals that the diagnosis was erroneous;...

That this House expresses deep concern that a British company, Rio Tinto, benefits as a joint venture partner from the operations in West Papua of the US mining company, Freeport McMoran, while the Papuan people enjoy minimal benefits from the exploitation of their gold and copper; notes that in 2005 Freeport paid US$1.2 billion to the government of Indonesia while the World Bank reported that 38 per cent. of Papuans live in poverty; is concerned by reports of Indonesian military abuses in the vicinity of the mine and of payments by Freeport to military personnel; notes that calls by Papuans for the contract of work between Freeport and the Indonesian government to be revised, in consultation with the Papuan people, have been rejected; and calls on the Government to encourage Rio Tinto to press for renegotiation of the contract so that the interests of the Papuan people are taken fully into account.

That this House expresses deep concern that a British company, Rio Tinto, benefits as a joint venture partner from the operations in West Papua of the US mining company, Freeport McMoran, while the Papuan people enjoy minimal benefits from the exploitation of their gold and copper; notes that in 2005...

That this House pays tribute to the work of the Washington F Pit Community Banner Committee in securing funding for a replica banner and thanks the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, Local Community Chest and Washington Envelopes and members of the community who have contributed to the new banner; notes that the banner will be displayed at the Washington Millennium Centre on Wearside, which highlights the town's long and proud mining heritage; further notes that Washington F Pit opened in 1777 and closed on 21st June 1968 and that when it closed it was one of the oldest working mines in the United Kingdom, employing 1,298 people at the time; further notes that the headgear and the engine house have been retained and are scheduled listed monuments; and wishes every success to the unveiling event for the new banner on 7th July 2006 and also to its first public display at the Durham Big Meeting on 8th July 2006.

That this House pays tribute to the work of the Washington F Pit Community Banner Committee in securing funding for a replica banner and thanks the Coalfield Regeneration Trust, Local Community Chest and Washington Envelopes and members of the community who have contributed to the new banner; notes that the...

That this House notes that the Department of Trade and Industry laid a minute before Parliament on 10th July 2000 accepting liability for surface workers who worked in dusty jobs; welcomes the fact that 84,000 mixed cases have been settled, but points out that many were exposed to more dust on the surface; considers it unjust that a surface worker with underground service who contracts the disease from a dusty surface job receives compensation but a man with surface-only service does not; is aware that on two occasions, in the debate on 7th February 2006, the Minister of Energy stated that the Department of Trade and Industry did not deny liability in all such cases; is concerned that many firms of solicitors have received hundreds of denial letters for such claims; and calls on the Minister to end this injustice by negotiating with the mining unions a no-fault liability scheme for surface workers.

That this House notes that the Department of Trade and Industry laid a minute before Parliament on 10th July 2000 accepting liability for surface workers who worked in dusty jobs; welcomes the fact that 84,000 mixed cases have been settled, but points out that many were exposed to more dust...

That this House congratulates the staff and everyone connected with the Big Pit National Mining Museum of Wales on winning the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year; welcomes this boost, both for Big Pit and Blaenavon; recognises that such a prestigious award is a rightful reward for the hard work put in by the staff at Big Pit many of whom are former coal miners; further recognises the importance of places like Big Pit in encouraging tourism in the South Wales Valleys and in commemorating local coal mining heritage; congratulates the Welsh Assembly Government on making museums like Big Pit free to visit; and calls on the Government and the devolved administration to continue to provide the best possible support for museums that tell the story of coal mining throughout the United Kingdom and provide renewed investment and employment in coalfield communities.

That this House congratulates the staff and everyone connected with the Big Pit National Mining Museum of Wales on winning the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year; welcomes this boost, both for Big Pit and Blaenavon; recognises that such a prestigious award is a rightful reward for the hard...

That this House calls for the suspension of the Coal Health Agreements between the Department for Trade and Inustry and the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and between the Department for Trade and Industry and Vendside.

That this House calls for the suspension of the Coal Health Agreements between the Department for Trade and Inustry and the Union of Democratic Mineworkers and between the Department for Trade and Industry and Vendside.

That this House notes that the Claimants Solicitors Group estimates that there are between 3,000 and 5,000 ex-colliery surface workers who have a potential claim against the former British Coal for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and is encouraged by the Minister's response when he gave an undertaking that the DTI would give `maximum consideration to resolving the issue' of surface workers' claims; and now calls on the Department to accept the recommendation of the Trade and Industry Select Committee in the previous Parliament in their Fourteenth Report 2004-05, `Coal Health Compensation Schemes', agreed on 22nd March 2005, that a just solution would be to allow ex-surface workers to be admitted to the COPD compensation scheme.

That this House notes that the Claimants Solicitors Group estimates that there are between 3,000 and 5,000 ex-colliery surface workers who have a potential claim against the former British Coal for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and is encouraged by the Minister's response when he gave an undertaking that the...

That this House is gravely disappointed to learn in this the 20th year since the end of the year long 1984-85 Miners' Strike that it was Lord Falconer, in a previous role, who advised Sir Ian MacGregor, the then Chairman of British Coal, how to get round the collective agreements signed over the previous 40 years between the National Union of Mineworkers and the National Coal Board/British Coal, resulting in the Board's withdrawal from the all-important Coal Industry Conciliation Scheme and thereby circumventing agreements established by democratic industrial procedures to pave the way for the recognition by British Coal of the breakaway Union of Democratic Mineworkers and leading to a worsening of the terms and conditions of all UK coalminers; and calls on Lord Falconer to make a statement.

That this House is gravely disappointed to learn in this the 20th year since the end of the year long 1984-85 Miners' Strike that it was Lord Falconer, in a previous role, who advised Sir Ian MacGregor, the then Chairman of British Coal, how to get round the collective agreements...

That this House supports calls for a special day when the country can remember all those who gave their lives to the mining industry, and all miners who continue to suffer from industrial illnesses associated with the hewing out of coal that was the nation's vital energy source of the 19th and 20th centuries in Britain.

That this House supports calls for a special day when the country can remember all those who gave their lives to the mining industry, and all miners who continue to suffer from industrial illnesses associated with the hewing out of coal that was the nation's vital energy source of the...