MEDIA RELEASE

CA/MR 2005/7 - 20 JULY 2005

COAL AUTHORITY PUBLISHES ANNUAL REPORT
AND ACCOUNTS FOR 2004-2005

The Coal Authority has today published its tenth Annual Report and Accounts, covering the period to 31 March 2005. It can be  viewed and downloaded from this website . Printed copies of the report and accounts are available at a cost of £18.00. Highlights of the report are:-

• 31 new applications for licences and agreements to enter coal in the ownership of the Authority, a 9% reduction on last year. (See page 20)
• Assessment of underground and surface coal tonnage licensed by the Authority. (See page 22)
• 507,889 mining reports for property transactions and related matters produced by the Authority's award winning computerised information system (a reduction of 14% on the previous year). (See page 26)
• An Internet and e-mail service for the ordering and delivery of coal mining reports (www.coalminingreports.co.uk). A fully electronic link to the National Land Information Service (NLIS) provides customers with an additional channel from which to order and receive mining reports. (See page 27)
• 693 subsidence claims resolved. Claims awaiting settlement totalled 569. (See page 29)
• Property disposals generating proceeds of £16.7 million. (See page 31)
• Work was completed at 34 sites to treat or prevent polluting minewater discharges by the end of March 2005. Construction of 7 further schemes commenced during the year. (See page 32)
• 149 employees in post. Turnover for the year of £30.9 million.

END

Note for Editors

The Coal Authority, located at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was established under the Coal Industry Act 1994, with responsibility for four principal functions: Licensing coal-mining operations; subsidence damage claims which are not the responsibility of the privatised successor companies or other licensed operators; dealing with property and historic liabilities such as old shafts and minewater pumping; and providing public access to information on coal-mining operations past and present.

MEDIA CONTACT:

John Delaney
Corporate Affairs Manager
Tel: 01623 427162
Fax: 01623 427316
Email: johndelaney@coal.gov.uk