Over
4,000 coal-mining jobs in the UK will be secured and a further 300 created as
part of a £52 million investment package announced by Energy Minister Stephen
Timms today.
Twelve
projects at mines in Northumberland, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire
and South Wales have been awarded up to 30 per cent of their total costs for
development projects as part of the new Coal Investment Aid scheme (CIA).
The
CIA scheme aims to unlock the potential of coal reserves which may otherwise
remain unworked by providing a large chunk of the investment costs.
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The
programme is designed to preserve or create jobs in the coal sector, especially
in economically and socially disadvantaged areas.
Stephen Timms said that despite some difficult times in the
past, there were encouraging signs for the future of the coal mining industry
in the UK.
