Since the Deputy Minister for Communities made comments on 9 March 2005 to the effect that if SPP 16 resulted in job losses and a decline in the opencast mining industry, the whole matter would be "put under review", there have been 223 job losses. Between 1 April 2005 and 16 June 2006, 18 miners lost their jobs in New Cumnock, 21 did so in Muirkirk and 23 ...