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Miners’ MP Ian Lavery reacted bitterly to government complacency yesterday over the looming closure of two of Britain’s last three deep mines.
Business Minister Michael Fallon said the government was still considering whether it could contribute to the private sector-led scheme for a “managed closure” of the two pits with the loss of 1,300 jobs.
He promised to update Parliament in the next two days on negotiations with owner UK Coal over a suggested injection of £10 million to keep Kellingley and Thoresby collieries going for about 18 months.
But Mr Lavery protested that the minister’s statement did not “in any way address the immediate problem of the imminent closure of two deep mines and other open cast operations.”
He asked: “Why should miners have to plead with the government to support their industry and their jobs when the Treasury has just creamed off a further £700 million from the coal industry pension scheme? This is the miners’ money from their own pockets.
“In total the Treasury has pilfered nearly £5 billion from the pension fund. For a minute fraction of this the industry could be maintained and potentially expanded.”