What does the pledge mean? 

Licences are needed in the UK for coal mining operations, such as surface and underground coal mining. 

To obtain a coal mining licence in England, Wales or Scotland, applicants must fill in an application form and send it to the licensing office of the Mining Remediation Authority (formerly known as the Coal Authority). The Mining Remediation Authority is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero. As well as licensing mining, it’s responsible for managing the effects of past coal mining, and owns on behalf of the country “the majority of the coal in Great Britain”.

In Northern Ireland, mining licences are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive’s Department for the Economy. 

The Mining Remediation Authority says that policy for coal mining in Great Britain is set by the respective governments of the three nations “through planning policy” and under the UK and Welsh governments through “coal licensing policy and legislation”. To run a coal mine “an operator needs relevant rights and permissions, including planning permission, a licence from the Coal Authority [now Mining Remediation Authority] and to notify the Health and Safety Executive”. 

When we asked the government whether or not it has the power to overrule the Mining Remediation Authority’s licensing decisions—the previous government said it had “no formal role” in the body’s decisions—Full Fact was told the Secretary of State doesn’t have a role in the licensing of individual coal mines. In Wales, since 2018 coal licences only take effect if the Welsh government approves them. 

There’s no time limit mentioned in Labour’s manifesto pledge, so we’re assuming it refers to the entirety of this parliament, which will end no later than August 2029. 

What progress has been made?

So far, no licences for mining at new sites have been issued since Labour formed a government on 5 July 2024. 

A number of incidental licences have been granted. These give developers permission to remove unworked or remnant coal they encounter during their developments.

Additionally, in August 2024 one full underground mining licence was technically granted, but this was the product of a very long-running application and legal challenge in Wales. (The licence was initially granted in 1996, and was made unconditional in August after a court ruling in February 2024.)

In September 2024, the Mining Remediation Authority refused three coal mining licence applications for a coal mine in Cumbria after the High Court ruled against planning permission that was granted by the previous Conservative government. 

On 14 November 2024, the government announced it would “introduce new legislation as soon as possible to restrict the future licensing of coal mines” through amending the Coal Industry Act 1994 “when Parliamentary time allows”. It said this would “restrict licences for new coal mines”. 

It also said “limited exceptions to the ban may be required for safety or restoration purposes” and that an exemption is “also anticipated to protect the historic rights of freeminers to mine personal gales in the Forest of Dean”. 

As of January 2025, this legislation had not been introduced to Parliament.