COALFIELD towns are still plagued by poor health, unemployment and bad housing despite six years of Labour initiatives to improve them, according to MPs.

A report by an all-party Commons committee criticised "poorly co-ordinated and short-term" schemes that failed to tackle the legacy of pit closures.

It warned that the problem of neglected Coal Board housing had not been tackled by the Government.

It said new jobs were mainly low-paid, unstable and typically in call centres.

It also said Government funding favoured towns and cities, leaving health services in rural areas short of funds.

To make things worse, funding for several initiatives was due to end from next year, with no replacements set up.

The report said: "The coalfield communities continue to be characterised by poor health, low employment levels, low educational achievement and poor housing."

MPs on the committee visited Easington, in County Durham, late last year.

They found new industrial units funded by English Partnerships in a job-creation programme, yet no occupiers had been found and no jobs had been created.

Only 50 per cent of people in Easington aged between 16 and 74 were working.

Funding for Easington's primary care trusts was 20 per cent below targets, costing the district £25.4m this year.

The committee criticised Labour's failure to add to three coalfield enterprise zones, including east Dur-ham, set up in 1995.

It warned successor schemes were needed when the schemes ended next year to tempt new businesses.