Licence Exceptions (IFTS)

The Coal Authority ("the Authority") is committed to trading its data in line with the principles of the Information Fair Trader Scheme administered by the Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI).

• See our Chief Executive’s statement in support of this commitment to these principles.

The Authority will grant appropriate licences wherever possible. You should, however, note that it may refuse a licence in certain circumstances listed below:

1. Where your request to use or reproduce Coal Authority data falls outside the Authority’s standard terms and conditions. If your application is rejected the Authority will try to offer an alternative solution and work with you to revise your application if appropriate. In the event that your application is refused you will be provided with an explanation.
2. Where a product is protected by the rights of another organisation and that organisation has not given their permission. For example, where an Authority product contains third party intellectual property rights it may be constrained by the third party’s licensing terms and conditions.
3. Where customers:
   1. are currently in dispute with the Authority or have previously been in dispute with it, about a material issue such as non-payment of licence fees, unlicensed use of data or a material and persistent breach of any agreements with it and that dispute was not satisfactorily resolved; and/or
   2. have insufficient creditworthiness (according to the Authority’s checks with credit reference agencies) to pay any licence fees and are not willing to offer another method of payment which is acceptable to the Authority (for example, a bank guarantee or payment in advance).
4. Where the Authority considers the use of its data to be inappropriate, for example if:
   1. the intended use of the data is likely to bring the Authority into disrepute, or
   2. it is for the production of CON29M coal mining reports or successor products, or
   3. in the Authority’s opinion it has the potential to prejudice the communication of information from it to the public about their safety and property valuations in advance of the conclusion of the Authority’s information dissemination programme.

Useful Information

• IFTS Report prepared by OPSI
• Freedom of Information
• Scale of Charges