I agree. I think it's a convenient means to sweep the issue under the carpet until after COP26.
However there have been developments prior to the SoS announcing he has called the project in for review (at the third time of asking). WCM having progressed through the necessary consultations, Cumbria CC planning committees and days from securing the final planning consents after had taken steps to take Cumbria CC to Judicial Review for alleged failure to follow their own established planning framework by repeated referrals back to the planning committee. Presumably if found to be acting unlawfully CCC would be exposed to the prospect of paying substantial reparations to WCM for costs incurred. Whether that legal process continues now the SoS has called the scheme in I'm uncertain but must certainly provide wriggle room for CCC at this time.
A Public Inquiry will obviously take time to establish and complete which can only be good for politicians and bad for WCM. What the terms of reference would be is anyone's guess. The tragedy of all this is that in terms of climate change I fail to see how banning this mine makes a jot of difference to the amount of Co2 generated. Plenty of hot air from its opponents but not a single tonne reduction of coal mined elsewhere. Not a single mile of transportation removed. The latter being the biggest single gain to be realised should the mine proceed. No wonder Biden was critical of the UK's position. Much of the coal used for steel making in Europe apparently comes from US producers.