Upon privatisation of the coal industry in 1994, The Coal Authority was set up to take over a
number of British Coal’s responsibilities; however these did not include the physical
extraction of coal. It is the statutory responsibility of The Coal Authority to licence and monitor the extraction
of coal by private operators. These Licence areas relate to any granted licence for the working of coal since the creation of The Coal Authority in October 1994.
In November 2024, the Coal Authority changed its name to the Mining Remediation Authority to better reflect its mission and continued commitment to environmental sustainability, safety, and community support.
