Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 27 July 2026.

UK government to support residents of evacuated homes in Coalsnaughton.

• The Mining Remediation Authority confirms the cause of ground movement in Coalsnaughton is linked to historic coal mining
• Residents of 97 evacuated homes will now be protected by law, with the UK government to cover costs
• The Mining Remediation Authority is engaging directly with those affected to provide specialist support

Residents of the 97 evacuated homes in the Coalsnaughton area will be supported by the UK government, as the Mining Remediation Authority has confirmed the cause of recent ground movement is linked to historic coal mining.

The UK government has today (27 July) announced that the Mining Remediation Authority will take over management of the incident response – with the priority to ensure the safety and wellbeing of every resident. Any costs incurred by the Scottish Government and Clackmannanshire Council for the incident response will be reimbursed, where they fall under the Mining Remediation Authority’s remit.

This follows a thorough eight-week investigation from the Mining Remediation Authority, after reports of ground movement in the Coalsnaughton area led to homes being evacuated in May to ensure their safety.

All evacuated residents will now be protected by the law – with the government meeting the costs of making homes safe. Where properties have suffered significant damage, alternative support could be made available to residents based on the condition of their home.

For homes with the most serious damage, residents may be offered an option for the government to purchase their property at its full market value prior to the incident, as well as additional support to relocate if required.

Ahead of visiting Coalsnaughton and meeting affected residents, Energy Minister Michael Shanks has confirmed that the government will do everything in its power to ensure every household is given a long-term solution as quickly as possible. The Mining Remediation Authority has confirmed households will find out the outcome of their property and the specific options available to them in the coming weeks and months, depending on ongoing investigations.

Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: 

This has obviously been an extremely difficult situation for families over the past few months and I want to reassure all those affected that no one will be left to shoulder the burden alone.

The UK government stands ready to do everything within our power to support those households affected, working side by side with the Scottish Government and Clackmannanshire Council.

Unfortunately there is no quick fix but the Mining Remediation Authority is providing tailored advice and support for every household and our priority is to provide longer term certainty as quickly as possible.

My thoughts are with all those caught up in this disruption which I know will be taking a real toll on families in the community.

The Mining Remediation Authority has contacted all affected households today to put immediate support in place and explain the next steps, depending on their individual circumstances. This includes working closely with Clackmannanshire Council and local partners to meet the residents’ immediate needs, such as appropriate temporary accommodation.

Each household will be appointed with a named Community Support Account Manager by the Mining Remediation Authority, who will guide them through this process over the next few months and help them access the support available. 

This service will be made available to those affected for as long as necessary – with residents also able to access information via a dedicated resident website, a community helpline or a by visiting the community hub in Coalsnaughton to meet a member of the team. 

Carl Banton, Chief Operations Director at the Mining Remediation Authority said: 

The safety and welfare of residents remain the priority for every partner involved in the response. We are working closely with Clackmannanshire Council and the Local Resilience Partnership to make sure that support remains in place and that everyone has a clear point of contact. 

We will be contacting affected residents directly to explain what this means for them personally, and to talk through the support that is available.

We are committed to keeping you informed at every stage of this recovery phase, and we are working hard to ensure that this community is safe.

Investigations at the site are ongoing and the Mining Remediation Authority has confirmed there are still signs of ground movement. Once the ground has stabilised, the site will continue to be monitored to ensure it is safe and stable.

The Mining Remediation Authority operates a 24-hour helpline, year-round service to monitor the safety of historic coal mining sites. However, incidents requiring evacuation are extremely rare.

Notes to Editors

Under the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991, the UK government has a duty to remedy coal mining subsidence damage, including funding repairs to make homes safe again or, where appropriate, providing alternative solutions.

The Mining Remediation Authority conducted a thorough eight-week investigation programme including camera scans, underground surveys, geophysical investigations, weekly LiDAR surveys, borehole drilling, and monitoring instrumentation.

The local council and Scottish Government have been a key part of the incident response. The MRA and UK government will closely coordinate with both to ensure residents are prioritised and receive the support they need.

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 24 July 2026.

The Prime Minister has held his first calls with business representative organisations where he set out a new offer from government to Britain’s job creators.

The Prime Minister has today [Friday 24 July] held his first calls with business representative organisations where he set out a new offer from government to Britain’s job creators.

Speaking with organisations including the CBI, British Chambers of Commerce, Federation of Small Businesses, Make UK, Small Business Britain, and Startup Coalition, Andy Burnham outlined a fresh partnership between government and business built around a shared ambition to drive investment, create jobs and grow the economy.

Together, these organisations represent hundreds of thousands of businesses across the country, from major employers and manufacturers to start-ups, high street firms and small businesses.

Acknowledging that many businesses have felt overlooked by successive governments, the Prime Minister said his government will be a circuit breaker by bringing down costs for business, creating a better environment for firms to grow and invest and delivering good growth in every postcode.

The new offer is centred on greater certainty, clearer long-term direction, faster decision-making and a stronger business voice in shaping policy. At a time of heightened global uncertainty, this government will provide the stable foundations businesses need to plan for the long term, invest with confidence and help deliver good growth in every postcode.

This week the Prime Minister promised to give breathing space to people and businesses. As one of the Prime Minister’s first promises delivered in his first week in office, he announced 20 per cent relief for pubs, clubs and music venues. This will bring down costs for town centre businesses, support the places people value in their communities and sends a strong signal of intent that this government is on the side of Britain’s businesses.

The Prime Minister also set out his ambition for a more agile state, with more decisions taken closer to communities, employers and investors. Over-centralised decision-making has too often slowed investment and held back regeneration, while devolving power to those closest to opportunities can cut unnecessary bureaucracy and ensure working people see the benefits in their local communities more quickly.

Alongside a stronger and more constructive partnership with business, the Government will take a much more active role where markets and regulators are not delivering for working people. Whether on energy, water or other essential services, the government wants to ensure every family gets a fair deal and to crack down on businesses who fail to deliver the standards that the public deserve. 

The PM underlined his commitment to reduce the frictions that make doing business and hiring people more difficult. In return, he expects businesses to take seriously their responsibility to deliver good growth right across the country, and to take care of their employees and the communities in which they operate.

He also invited employers to work closely with the Government on some of the biggest challenges facing the country, including youth unemployment, tackling skills shortages and improving living standards. The PM acknowledged that too many young people are not leaving school ready for the workplace, making it harder for businesses to recruit the talent they need and exacerbating the youth unemployment crisis.

Tackling youth unemployment head on will be a key test for the new partnership between government and business. The PM will ask employers to work alongside Government to support more young people into work, while helping businesses develop the skilled workforce they need to grow.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

“For too long, businesses have been carrying the burden of rising costs while working people have paid the price.

“We’ve all seen the consequences on our high streets with boarded-up shops, struggling local businesses, and employers feeling like they haven’t been heard across Whitehall. Every business that closes its doors means fewer jobs and fewer opportunities for young people to get into work.

“Britain has enormous strengths and too often we talk ourselves down. We are a global powerhouse in science, technology, manufacturing and innovation. We just need to do a better job of turning that success into jobs, investment and opportunity that everyone can feel in every part of the country.

“That’s why I’m putting a new offer on the table. We’ll bring down costs, reform business rates and use the power of government to back British business. We’ll listen, we’ll act and we’ll give firms the backing they need to reindustrialise Britain. In return, I want businesses to invest in their people, back their communities and help us give every young person a fair chance to find a good job.”

The Government will continue to work with international partners to deepen trade relationships and strengthen our economic security. To kickstart that effort, the Prime Minister has been speaking directly with world leaders this week to discuss how we can strengthen trade ties and unlock new opportunities for British businesses here at home. 

Despite a new round of global tariffs announced by the US today, our landmark Economic Prosperity Deal remains in place, which has led to an improvement to our trading terms with zero tariffs on both whisky and medical technology. This demonstrates the value of active engagement with international partners to protect British interests, support jobs and give businesses the certainty they need to invest and grow.

Ministers are also determined to deliver workers’ rights reforms in partnership with businesses, trade unions and workers, making sure the changes support higher living standards, stronger businesses and good growth in every postcode.

The Government will also use the power of public procurement to back British business by default to ensure public investment support jobs, apprenticeships, innovation and skills across the country.