§ Mr. FELLasked the President of the Board of Trade if there has been any decrease in the amount of coal raised in South Wales since the Coal Mines (Eight Hours) Act came into force, and how the output for each of the past three months compares with the output for the similar months last year?
§ The UNDER-SECRETARY to the HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. Masterman)My right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. The Secretary of State has no information as to the amount of coal raised in South Wales since the Coal Mines Act of 1908 came into force, as the statutory Returns are not required to be made until the end of the year. He cannot therefore say how the output for each of the last three months compares with the output for the corresponding months last year. It is obvious that until both employers and workmen have settled down to the new conditions created by the Act any comparison of the kind would be altogether misleading.
§ Mr. KEIR HARDIEHas the Home Office received information that in those collieries the output is as great under the Eight Hours Act as it was formerly?
§ Mr. MASTERMANI have no information upon that point.