ENERGY Minister Helen Liddell has promised "a thorough investigation" into the status of Forest of Dean freeminers.

The freeminers have been in conflict with the Coal Authority over the payment of an annual licence fee and in a bid to break the deadlock, and at the invitation of local MP Diana Organ, Mrs Liddell visited the Forest last week.

She visited the Hayner's Bailey mine at Cannop and later spoke with freeminers at The Speech House.

Mrs Organ said the Minister had given an assurance she would give the freeminers' case her personal attention.

"The Minister said that the time has come to draw a line under what has gone before and that it was now time to do a thorough investigation of the case.

"Helen Liddell promised to ask a senior civil servant to carry out a review of the situation. She has asked the freeminers to supply her with substantive documentation or pieces of legislation to support their case.

"She has also promised to answer the eight questions that the freeminers gave her in writing and guaranteed that that they would receive a full explanation of her final decision," said Mrs Organ.