43. Major NEWMANasked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give the total amount of the deficit on the working of the coal-mining industry which will have to be borne in the current year by the taxpayer, due to the increase of wages and decrease of working hours, as recommended in the Interim Report on the Coal Industry Commission Act, and signed by Mr. Justice Sankey and a section of the Commission?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANMy right hon. Friend has asked me to answer this question. In the Report of Mr. Justice Sankey and three of his colleagues on the Coal Industry Commission, the deficit to be made good by the taxpayer in the calendar year 1919 is put at £13,000,000. The whole of this will fall into the nine months ending 31st December, 1919, and a further sum of £6,500,000 would be required for the first quarter of 1920, making a total for the fiscal year 1919–20 of £19,500,000.