UK COAL EX-EMPLOYEES AND ENHANCED REDUNDANCY PAYMENTS

That this House is shocked and alarmed by the decision of the Government not to pay Enhanced Redundancy Payments to UK Coal employees who recently lost their jobs, instead providing only repayable grant monies to the Company in order to assist it to meet its statutory redundancy obligations; believes such action to be wrong, mean and yet another insult to a traditional British workforce who have for generations been employed in coal production, sometimes in the most arduous conditions, providing for the nation's energy needs; and calls on the Prime Minister to reverse this disgraceful decision and pay monies owed in full to those involved.