§ MR. WADSWORTH (Yorkshire, W.R., Hallamshire)I beg to ask the President of the Board of Trade whether he will grant the Return relating to Wages and Profits in Coal-Mining standing on to-day's Notice Paper.
§ MR. CHURCHILLNegotiations have been for some time proceeding with the coal owners with a view to the supply of a voluntary Return with regard to the earnings of various classes of coal-miners for the purpose of completing the inquiry now being conducted by the Board of Trade as to the earnings of the working classes for comparison with the results of the Wages Census of 1886. I have great hopes that the coal owners will see their way to furnish these Returns, which have already been obtained or promised from every other important trade in the United Kingdom, including textiles, iron and steel, shipbuilding and engineering, building, clothing, railways, agriculture, 950 and other industries. Pending the completion of a definite arrangement with the coal-owners I am unwilling to grant a Parliamentary Return covering, to a large extent, the same ground, but should such an arrangement unfortunately fall through I shall be glad to consider the matter further with my hon. friend.