Ministry of Technology and successors: Coal Division: Registered Files (CO Series)

This series contains registered files created by the Coal Division of the Ministry of Technology and its successors. The files concern general Coal Division matters, including relationships with the National Coal Board, coal issues arising out of the United Kingdom joining the European Economic Community, the Coal Industry Bill 1970, the Coal Industry Bill 1976, tripartite discussions with the National Coal Board and the trade unions and work on solid smokeless fuels.

The CO file series was established in 1970 (after the Ministry of Power was absorbed into Mintech) and was a successor to the COAL prefix used by the COAL Division.

For earlier COAL series files, see POWE 52

CO series files concerning planning consent for opencast mining and public planning inquiries were passed to the Department of the Environment Minerals Division after 1970 but were never re-registered to a different prefix.

• Department of Energy, Coal Division, 1974-1992
• Department of Trade and Industry, Coal Division, 1970-1974
• Ministry of Power, Coal Division, 1957-1969
• Ministry of Technology, Coal Division, 1969-1970

From 1997 Department of Trade and Industry

Topics

Labour

Coal

Mining and quarrying

The Coal Division was transferred from the Ministry of Power to the Ministry of Technology (Mintech) in 1969. Upon abolition of Mintech in October 1970, it was transferred to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), where it remained until it was transferred to the newly established Department of Energy.

The functions of the Coal Division related to the coal industry, including coal aspects of general energy questions. In 1973 the responsibilities of the Division were described as being the exercise of functions under the Coal Industry Acts 1946 to 1973, the Opencast Coal Act 1958 and the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act 1957. The duties of the Division included liaison with, and general oversight of, the National Coal Board (NCB). The Division was also responsible for assessing the financial support for the industry under the Coal Industry Act 1973 and for keeping under review the supply and demand for coal and other solid fuels, integration with the European Coal and Steel Community and relations with other international organisations.