UK Act of Parliament
1994
United Kingdom
Coal Industry Act 1994
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
36 compliance obligations, 2 practical guides
Penalty landscape
4 of 36 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 3 carry different penalties and 29 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.
Who this Act binds
Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.
- Any Person 9
- Licence Holder 1
- Responsible Person 1
- Operator 1
- Director or Officer 1
Plus 23 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
2 guidesOther Acts binding the same actors
For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.
Any Person also bound by 749 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 110 duties
- Licensing Act 2003 2003 105 duties
- Merchant Shipping Act 1995 1995 97 duties
- Road Traffic Act 1988 1988 95 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 86 duties
Licence Holders also bound by 50 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 50 duties
- Human Medicines Regulations 2012 2012 11 duties
- Value Added Tax Regulations 1995 1995 7 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 5 duties
- Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 2018 5 duties
Responsible Persons also bound by 56 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- MH(CT)(S)A 2003 2003 45 duties
- Climate Change Levy (General) Regulations 2001 2001 24 duties
- Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (England/Wales comparison) 2005 22 duties
- The Offshore Installations (Prevention of Fire and Explosion, and Emergency Response) Regulations 1995 1995 21 duties
- The Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995 1995 16 duties
Operators also bound by 125 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Space Industry Regulations 2021 2021 71 duties
- Payment Services Regulations 2017 2017 41 duties
- Air Navigation Order 2016 2016 34 duties
- The Quarries Regulations 1999 1999 31 duties
- Reservoirs Act (Northern Ireland) 2015 2015 22 duties
Directors and Officers also bound by 224 other Acts (top 5 shown)
- Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016 2016 75 duties
- Companies Act 2006 2006 63 duties
- Insolvency Act 1986 1986 46 duties
- CCBSA 2014 2014 22 duties
- CAICEA 2004 2004 18 duties
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Part I — Re-organisation of Coal Industry
Duties of the Authority with respect to licensing.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must ensure coal operators are financially sound Statutory regulator
Duties of the Authority with respect to property.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Coal Authority must manage, sell and protect property in its portfolio Statutory regulator
Duty of the Authority with respect to safety.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Authority must agree safety cooperation document with the HSE Statutory regulator
The Coal Authority
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Coal Authority must manage coal mining licenses and industry stability Statutory regulator
Directions to the Authority by the Secretary of State.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must follow Secretary of State instructions Statutory regulator
Restructuring of the Corporation’s functions.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Coal Authority must manage its wind-down and asset transfers Statutory regulator
Restructuring schemes in relation to property etc.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must ensure transfer recipients can finance liabilities Crown / Minister / Government department
Duty to assist in preparation of restructuring schemes.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State may require assistance with restructuring schemes Crown / Minister / Government department
Financial structure of successor companies.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must apply Schedule 3 rules to the structure of successor companies Crown / Minister / Government department
Target investment limit for Government holding in successor companies.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must set government shareholding limits for successor companies Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 22 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Establishment of the Coal Authority.
Power of the Authority with respect to coal mine water discharge
Coal mine water discharge: powers of entry
Coal mine water discharge: compulsory purchase of land
Further powers relating to subsidence and water discharge
Power of the Authority with respect to coal mine water discharge: Scotland
Coal mine discharge: compulsory acquisition of land in Scotland
Further powers relating to subsidence and water discharge: Scotland
General powers of the Authority.
Exploitation rights: general.
Exploitation rights: territorial waters and continental shelf.
Exploitation rights: oil and gas.
Protection for certain interests in coal and coal mines.
Agreements with respect to restructuring schemes.
Grant-making powers.
Residual payments grant.
Concessionary coal.
Extinguishment of loans to the Corporation.
Taxation effects of restructuring.
Pensions and miners’ welfare organisations.
Reduction in membership and dissolution of the Corporation.
Abolition of the Domestic Coal Consumers’ Council.
Part II — Licensing of Coal-mining Operations
Coal-mining operations to be licensed.
- You must obtain a license for coal-mining operations Any Person
Authorisation contained in licence.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must specify licence terms and mining areas Statutory regulator
Publication of licensing arrangements.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must publish licensing rules and model terms Statutory regulator
Procedural requirements for enforcement orders.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must follow notice procedures for enforcement Statutory regulator
Validity and effect of enforcement orders.
- Comply with enforcement orders or face civil law suits Any Person
Power to require information for the purposes of enforcement.
Unlimited fine- Fail to provide information or tampering with documents Any Person
Register of licences and orders.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must maintain a public register of coal licences Statutory regulator
Insolvency of licensed operators etc.
Fine up to £1,000- Fail to notify the Authority of company insolvency or dissolution Any Person
Browse 5 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Grant of licences.
Licences for coal-mining operations in Wales: approval by Welsh Ministers
Conditions of licence: general.
Conditions for the provision of security.
Enforcement orders.
Part III — Rights and Obligations in connection with Coal Mining
Notices under section 38.
- Publish and serve notice of coal-mining operations Operator
Revocation of right to withdraw support.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must notify public before revoking support rights Statutory regulator
Persons responsible for subsidence.
- Assume and manage liability for mining-related land subsidence Responsible Person
Cases where there is more than one responsible person.
- Accept joint liability for subsidence damage covering multiple areas Licence Holder
The subsidence adviser.
Unlimited fineOther duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State may appoint an independent subsidence adviser Crown / Minister / Government department
Notices under section 49.
- Provide formal notice of intention to work coal in former copyhold land Any Person
Environmental duties in connection with planning.
- Protect the environment and historical sites in coal-mining proposals Any Person
Registration of rights.
Unlimited fine- Provide false or reckless information regarding mining rights Any Person
Browse 12 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Areas of responsibility.
Rights to withdraw support.
Savings for special cases.
Subsidence damage to which 1991 Act applies.
Information to be provided by responsible persons.
Disputes etc. as to subsidence matters.
Offences with respect to subsidence information.
Rights to work coal in former copyhold land.
Additional rights in relation to underground land.
Opencast operations.
Obligations to restore land affected by coal-mining operations.
Health and safety regulations as to rescue service.
Part IV — General and Supplemental
Public access to information held by the Authority.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Coal Authority must provide public access to mining and geological records Statutory regulator
Information to be kept confidential by the Authority.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must keep business information confidential Statutory regulator
Annual report of the Authority.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must publish and submit an annual report Statutory regulator
Report on financial assistance for coal-mining museums.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State must report on coal-mining museum funding Crown / Minister / Government department
Financial provisions.
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Government must provide funding for administrative and restructuring costs Crown / Minister / Government department
Offences by bodies corporate etc.
2 years imprisonment- Personal liability for directors and officers for company offences Director or Officer
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Liability for inaccurate information furnished to the Authority.
Provisions relating to the service of documents.
Interpretation.
Shadow directors
Crown application.
Amendments, transitional provisions, savings and repeals.
Short title, commencement and extent.
Schedules
Supplemental provisions with respect to powers of entry
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Mining Remediation Authority must compensate for damage caused by entry Statutory regulator
Supplemental provisions with respect to powers of entry: Scotland
Unlimited fine- Misuse or disclosure of trade secrets Any Person
Financial structure of successor companies
Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
- Secretary of State may direct successor companies to issue securities Crown / Minister / Government department
Retained Interests in Copyhold Land
Fine up to £1,000- Fail to serve or copy notice regarding copyhold land interests Any Person
Browse 217 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
The Coal Authority
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph, a...
In the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967, in Schedule 2 (departments...
In the House of Commons Disqualification Act 1975, in Part...
In this Part of this Schedule, “member”, in relation to...
(1) The Secretary of State may, after consultation with the...
(1) The Secretary of State shall, in respect of each...
(1) The Authority— (a) shall keep proper accounts and records...
(1) The Authority shall pay to its members such remuneration,...
(1) The Authority may, with the approval of the Secretary...
Subject to the following provisions of this Schedule, the Authority...
Anything authorised or required by or under any enactment to...
(1) A member of the Authority who is in any...
The validity of any proceedings of the Authority shall not...
(1) Minutes shall be kept of proceedings of the Authority....
(1) The application of the seal of the Authority shall...
(1) In this Schedule— “ designated person ” means an...
(1) If it is shown to the satisfaction of a...
A person designated as the person who may exercise a...
A person who, in the exercise of a relevant power,...
(1) Where any person exercises any power conferred by section...
Modification of compensation provisions etc in relation to the creation of new rights
Subject to the following provisions of this Schedule, the enactments...
(1) The Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 (in the following provisions...
For section 7 of the 1965 Act (measure of compensation)...
Section 8(1) of the Compulsory Purchase Act 1965 has effect...
The following provisions of the 1965 Act (being provisions stating...
Section 11 of the 1965 Act (powers of entry) shall...
Section 20 of the 1965 Act (protection for interests of...
Section 22 of the 1965 Act (protection of acquiring authority’s...
(1) A person entitled to enter premises by virtue of...
(1) If a sheriff or justice of the peace is...
Restructuring schemes
(1) This paragraph shall have effect as regards the manner...
(1) For the purpose of making any such division as...
(1) The property, rights and liabilities that shall be capable...
(1) A restructuring scheme may contain supplemental, incidental, consequential and...
(1) A restructuring scheme may provide for the imposition of...
(1) This paragraph applies where any person to whom anything...
(1) The 1981 regulations shall apply to any transfer of...
(1) Where, in consequence of any provisions included in a...
(1) It shall be the duty of the Secretary of...
In this Schedule “relevant successor company” means any successor company...
The aggregate of— (a) any amounts outstanding by way of...
(1) As a consequence of the vesting in a relevant...
(1) Subject to section 16 of this Act, the Treasury...
(1) The Treasury or, with the consent of the Treasury,...
Any dividends or other sums received by the Treasury or...
(1) Where statutory accounts of a relevant successor company prepared...
(1) If articles of association of a relevant successor company...
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Schedule, the...
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Schedule, the...
Taxation Provisions
(1) Subject to paragraph 24 below, in this Part of...
Schedule 2 to the 1992 Act (assets held on 6th...
(1) For the purposes of the Corporation Tax Acts if,...
Where by virtue of any relevant transfer there is transferred...
(1) If, by virtue of any relevant transfer, there is...
(1) Notwithstanding anything in the preceding provisions of this Part...
(1) Section 35 of the 1988 Act (charge on lease...
The existence of the powers of the Secretary of State...
(1) Where— (a) by virtue of any relevant transfer any...
(1) For the purposes of section 781 of the 1988...
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this Part of...
(1) For the purposes of the 1992 Act, where there...
(1) Subject to paragraph 21 below, the Capital Allowances Actshall...
(1) This paragraph shall apply where— (a) an interest or...
For the purposes of Part 2 of the Capital Allowances...
(1) This paragraph shall apply where— (a) in consequence of...
(1) Subject to the following provisions of this paragraph—
Where the effect of any restructuring scheme is modified in...
For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule a...
(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2) below, an exempt transaction shall...
(1) No agreement for the purposes of, or for purposes...
(1) Subsections (4) and (5) of section 23 of the...
Section 30 of the 1992 Act (tax-free benefits) shall not...
Subject to paragraph 21 below, section 174(1) of the 1992...
(1) Where in the case of any relevant transfer the...
(1) Where, apart from this sub-paragraph— (a) the predecessor would...
(1) For the purposes of section 179 of the 1992...
(1) Where in the case of any relevant transfer—
Pensions Provision in connection with Restructuring
(1) In this Schedule— “assets”, in relation to any existing...
(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision...
(1) The Secretary of State may by regulations make such...
(1) This paragraph applies to— (a) any scheme established in...
(1) Every power of the Secretary of State to make...
Further modifications of the 1991 Act
(1) Where— (a) a damage notice is received by a...
On and after the restructuring date, section 49 of the...
Paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 2 to the 1991 Act (payment...
Section 43(1) of this Act shall not apply to the...
Section 8(9) of the 1991 Act (grounds for refusing request...
(1) In relation to times on or after the restructuring...
The reference in section 15 of the 1991 Act (recipients...
In relation to any regulations made on or after the...
Section 43(1) of this Act shall require the second reference...
On and after the restructuring date sections 37, 38, 40...
On and after the restructuring date sections 46 and 47...
The provisions of section 44 of this Act, so far...
(1) This Part of this Schedule shall apply where, at...
Subject to paragraph 8(3) above and to any provision applied...
(1) If— (a) by virtue of an order under section...
(1) On and after the restructuring date, the following provisions...
The claimant shall furnish, together with the retained interest notice,...
(1) Within the period of three months beginning with the...
Subject to paragraph 5 below, as soon as practicable after...
(1) A claimant who— (a) has served a retained interest...
(1) Subject to paragraphs 7 and 11 below, where—
(1) Subject to paragraph 5 above, it shall be conclusively...
(1) If at any time— (a) after an acceptance notice...
(1) Where any person— (a) makes a payment of compensation...
Amendments of the Opencast Coal Act 1958
The Opencast Coal Act 1958 shall be amended as follows....
In section 14(6) (arbitration under section 12 of the Agricultural...
(1) In subsection (6)(a) of section 14A (modification of section...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 15 (orders for suspension...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 15A (supplementary provisions in...
(1) In subsections (1) and (2) of section 16 (orders...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 17 (general provisions as...
In relation to any compulsory rights order confirmed on or...
Sections 19 and 20 (additional annual compensation and special compensation...
In section 21(1) (terminal compensation), for “by the Corporation in...
(1) In section 23A (compensation with a view to furthering...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 4 (compulsory rights order)—...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 26 (compensation in respect...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 27 (compensation for forced...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 29 (definition of holding...
(1) In subsection (2) of section 31 (annual compensation in...
(1) After section 31, there shall be inserted the following...
(1) In subsection (2) of section 32 (annual compensation in...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 35 (introduction to provisions...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 36 (records of condition...
In section 38 (exclusion from compulsory purchase order of land...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 39 (designation of land...
(1) In subsection (2) of section 5 (effect of order),...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 40 (claims for compensation)—...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 42 (compensation payable in...
In section 43 (compensation provisions applying to mortgaged land), the...
In section 44 (Crown land)— (a) in subsection (1), for...
In section 45(2) (application of paragraph 23 of the telecommunications...
After section 49(4) (general power to revoke and vary orders...
(1) In subsection (1) of section 51 (interpretation)—
In section 52(3) (construction of references to water authorities in...
(1) In Part I of Schedule 2 (making, confirmation, validity...
(1) In paragraph 13 of Part II of Schedule 2...
In section 7 (rights not affected by order)—
(1) In Schedule 3 (terminal compensation by way of payment...
For paragraph 2 of Schedule 5 (compensation in respect of...
(1) In paragraph 1(2) of Schedule 6 (changes in right...
(1) In paragraph 3 of Schedule 8 (compensation for termination...
In subsection (3)(b) of section 8 (modification of section 5(4))—...
In subsections (1) to (3) of section 10 (rights in...
In section 11(4) (registration in the register of sasines)—
(1) In subsection (1) of section 12 (rights to remove...
Section 13 (effect in relation to apparatus of statutory undertakers...
Minor and Consequential Amendments
(1) Any interest in land consisting in an interest in...
(1) In the Table in section 1 of the Mines...
Schedule 9 para.11
In section 52(2) of the Gaming Act 1968 (definition of...
Schedule 9 para.13
In section 133(2) of the Fair Trading Act 1973 (exceptions...
In section 174(3) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (exceptions...
In section 27(1) of the Welsh Development Agency Act 1975...
In section 41(1) of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976...
(1) In section 15(3) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions)...
Schedule 9 para.19
In section 34(1) of the Requisitioned Land and War Works...
In section 28(1) of the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979...
In section 10(3) of the Estate Agents Act 1979 (exceptions...
In section 61(2)(b) of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas...
(1) In subsection (2) of section 19 of the Competition...
Schedule 9 para.24
Schedule 9 para.25
In section 290 of the Highways Act 1980 (supplementary provisions...
(1) In section 17(4) of the Acquisition of Land Act...
In section 123(1) of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982...
In Part I of Schedule 4 to the National Audit...
In section 9 of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947,...
In paragraph 3 of Schedule 5 to the Road Traffic...
In section 140 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 (right...
The Companies Act 1985 shall have effect in relation to...
In section 573(1) of the Housing Act 1985 (meaning of...
In paragraph 28 of Schedule 5 to the Weights and...
Paragraph 8(1)(a) of Part II of Schedule 3 to the...
In section 5 of the Coal Industry Act 1987 (coal...
In paragraph 4(b) of Part I of Schedule 9 to...
(1) In subsection (2) of section 57 of the Electricity...
(1) In section 253(2)(a) of the Town and Country Planning...
After section 6 of the Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure)...
Section 85 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas)...
(1) In subsection (7) of section 27 of the 1991...
In paragraph 1(5) of Schedule 13 to the Water Industry...
(1) In paragraph 1(4) of Schedule 22 to the Water...
In paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 6 to the Land Drainage...
In section 161(7) of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban...
In the definition of “statutory undertakers” in section 69(1) of...
In Part II of the Table in paragraph 3 of...
In the fourth item in the Table in Schedule 4...
In section 56(3) of the Licensing Act 1964 (definition of...
In section 13(8) of the Gas Act 1965 (exclusion of...
Transitional Provisions and Savings
Where this Act repeals any provisions of the Coal Act...
(1) On and after the restructuring date the rights in...
The repeal by this Act of section 6 of the...
Schedule 10 para.12
(1) Without prejudice to section 1(2) of the 1991 Act,...
The repeal by this Act of subsection (3) of section...
(1) Notwithstanding the repeal by this Act of section 33...
(1) Neither the repeal by this Act of section 34...
The repeal by this Act of section 43 of the...
As well as being subject to the savings in section...
The repeal by this Act of section 41 of the...
The repeal by this Act of the Miners’ Welfare Act...
(1) Where any compulsory rights order has been made under...
Repeals
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- HSE: mines regulations (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
- Environment Agency: mining permits (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Mining Remediation Authority (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- HSE: mining (opens in a new tab) from HSE Detailed Guidance
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Mining Remediation Authority (formerly Coal Authority)
Manages effects of historical coal mining in England, Scotland, and Wales. Handles subsidence damage claims, mine water pollution, and other mining legacy …
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Browse legislation
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Regulators
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.