asked Her Majesty's Government:

What progress has been made in the criminal investigation into the British Coal litigation by the Serious Fraud Office and South Yorkshire Police, which commenced in July 2005; and what is the timescale for completing the enquiries. [HL3057]

The SFO, together with South Yorkshire Police, is investigating allegations of serious and complex fraud in relation to the handling of claims brought under the DTI-administered Coal Health Compensation Scheme. The investigation began in July 2005 and is continuing. It would not be appropriate to give details of the ongoing investigation. It is not yet known when the investigation will be completed.