§ 7. Mr. PALINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India the total number of persons employed in underground work in the coal mines of Bengal, Central India, and Southern India; and how many of these are women?
§ Earl WINTERTONAs the reply to this question is in the form of a statistical table, I propose with the hon. Member's permission to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following is the table:
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, Sir. The answer which I gave is in answer to a question as to whether children under the age of 13 are employed underground, and my answer is that they are not.
§ Mr. DALTONBut do they pass the time underground?
§ Earl WINTERTONNo, the meaning of being employed underground is working underground.
§ Mr. DALTONBut do they go and sleep underground with their mothers?
§ Earl WINTERTONI should imagine it is very unlikely, but if the hon. Member wants information on the point I will inquire.
§ 9. Mr. PALINGasked the Under-Secretary of State for India what are the number of hours worked per day by persons employed underground in the coal mines of Bengal, Central India and Southern India?
§ Earl WINTERTONThe maximum number of hours is now fixed by law at 54 per week. The average number actually worked is considerably less.