THE odds on the Selby coalfield closing early next year shortened today when Energy Minister Brian Wilson rebuked UK Coal for asking for more state aid.

Mr Wilson reacted angrily to calls for the company to be handed a £100 million "closure aid" package for the loss-making Selby complex.

He told the Evening Press he felt "intense disappointment" the coal producer was in need of another subsidy, within months of being handed £43 million from the public purse to give the complex a "viable" future.

Mr Wilson spoke out after coming under strong pressure from Selby MP John Grogan to grant UK Coal the £100 million in a Westminster debate.

The Minister told the Commons that he would have to ask "many major questions" before going down the road of closure aid after being told Selby had a viable future without aid after July of this year.

He said the benefits of further state aid would go primarily to the company, not to the miners who suffered redundancy.

Mr Wilson said: "Closure aid gives companies a direct incentive to shut down mines, so the very subsidy that is designed to help the industry could bring about its demise earlier than might otherwise have been the case."

In an impassioned intervention yesterday in the Commons, Mr Grogan said people feared the Labour Government may hand down worse treatment

to miners facing redundancy than former Tory Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

This was based on rumours that Trade Secretary Patricia Hewitt "needs to be convinced" of the need to pay the closure aid - of which £40 million would be used to fund more generous redundancy packages worth up to £27,000.

But a redundancy agreement between the company and trade unions expires next March. And Mr Grogan fears UK Coal could announce the complex is closing shortly after that date - leaving pitmen out of pocket.

He said: "At least when Mrs Thatcher closed the pits, she made sure men got their redundancy money.

"On behalf of Selby district I plead with my Government to give us time to bring new jobs on stream before the coalfield closes.

"If we have at least until 2005 we can maybe avoid the despair, the family breakdown, the hardship, the suicides, which have been a feature of other pit closures."

Mr Wilson said he would agree to meet UK Coal chief executive

Gordon McPhie to discuss the prospect of closure aid.

Updated: 14:38 Wednesday, April 17, 2002