The Coal Authority
Introduction
'The Coal Authority will manage on behalf of the nation the unworked coal reserves and other property under its control and will encourage economically viable operations to exploit these reserves. It will make information available and will, within its spheres of responsibility, protect the interests of those affected by past and future coal mining activity.'
The Coal Authority was established under the Coal Industry Act 1994 to provide a framework for the future of the industry.
The Authority has four principal functions:
- licensing coal mining operations;
- subsidence damage claims which are not the responsibility of the licensed operators;
- dealing with property and historic liabilities such as old coal mine shafts; and
- providing public access to information on coal mining operations past and present.
The Authority is responsible to Parliament through the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. There is a Chairman and five other members. The Members are appointed by the Secretary of State to provide a broad balance of expertise in the coal mining industry, planning, finance and law.
| | Number of Staff¹ | | | Expenditure (£m) |
| 1995/96 | 99 | | 1995/96 | 53.7 |
| 1996/97 | 109² | | 1996/97 | 44.1 |
| 1997/98 | 100 | | 1997/98 | 42 |
¹Fiscal year end figure.
²Temporary increase in staff relates to the introduction of new geological information system, data collection & the PFI project referred to opposite. |
The Coal Authority Annual Report and Accounts can be obtained free of charge from the Authority's Mansfield office.
Achievements in 1996/97
The main Authority objectives and targets for 1996/97 were set out in the 1995/96 annual report and accounts.
These have in the main been achieved and in some instances been greatly improved upon.
Activities during the year centred on addressing the consequences of one of the major successor companies to British Coal Corporation going into administration in February 1996. By early July 1996 the administrator had handed back three collieries to the Authority.
Successor operators could not be identified, therefore the Authority had no alternative but to implement a colliery closure programme. The work continues and the Authority is liaising with the relevant agencies and local authorities.
The Authority has continued to work with the environment agencies on a list of priority sites for remediation work to be carried out on minewater discharges from abandoned mines, where currently there is no clearly identifiable person responsible for treatment. Studies of a number of these sites were carried out to assess whether improvement works were technically feasible and the first of a number of specific treatment projects is expected to be completed in 1997/98.
Plans for 1997/98
The Authority and Cap Gemini UK plc signed a contract in January 1997 to improve the quality, efficiency and speed of service in providing mining reports. Under an £11m Private Finance Initiative scheme, Cap Gemini will design, build and operate a new mining reports and surface damage system. The system, which will provide the Authority's customers with even higher standards of service, is due to be operational by March 1998.
The Authority plans to formulate a programme for treating certain polluting minewater discharges based on the findings of the feasibility studies undertaken during 1996/97. It plans to work at selected sites, where external constraints allow, subject to funding being available.
Key Performance Targets
|
| 1995/96
| 1996/97
| 1997/98
|
Key Measure
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Achieved
|
Set
|
Inspect all operational licensed mines (%)
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
100
|
First inspection of subsidence claims within 6 weeks (%)
|
90
|
89
|
90
|
98
|
90
|
Reduce waiting time from inspection to communicating decision to claimants to 4 weeks (%)
|
90
|
84
|
90
|
92
|
95
|
Respond to requests for mining reports within 10 working days (%)
|
95
|
95
|
95
|
95
|
95
|
Respond to requests for mining reports within 5 working days (%)
|
60
|
60
|
60
|
66
|
80
|
| 
