NEWS RELEASE
Thursday, 14 July 2005 For immediate release
STUC issue statement on the future of the opencast coal industry
Speaking as the STUC issued a statement on the future of the opencast coal industry in Scotland in reaction to yesterday's announcement by the Scottish Executive that it would proceed with the introduction of a `presumption against' new developments, Stephen Boyd, STUC Assistant Secretary said:
"The STUC is bitterly disappointed that the Scottish Executive has seen fit to
introduce the presumption against' new opencast coal developments. We
reject the suggestion that this is merely a tidying up of existing guidance.
Since apresumption against' was introduced in England the coal industry has
suffered a dramatic fall in production and employment.
`Scotland needs coal. If it isn't produced in Scotland it will have to be imported from abroad. The presumption against threatens skilled jobs in fragile rural economies. It will also restrict the ability of operators to diversify into renewable sectors such as biomass.
We are particularly concerned at the stipulation that opencast developments
will be unacceptable where they result indisturbance to communities that
involves extractions for more than 10 years'. This condition was not part of the
recent consultation and is likely to have a serious impact on those currently
working in the industry.
`The STUC will rigorously monitor implementation of SPP16 in order to ensure that developments, which meet the environmental and economic tests, are not rejected on spurious grounds. We await with keen interest the decision on whether or not the Executive decides to call in the South Lanarkshire applications which were passed unanimously by the Local Authority".
ENDS
For further information contact Stephen Boyd, Assistant Secretary STUC