HC Deb 29 March 1920 vol 127 cc849-50
6. Mr. LAMBERT

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the number of persons engaged in coal mining, the output per person, and the wage per ton paid to the coal miners for 1913 and 1919, respectively; and whether he is satisfied that the fullest advantage of machinery is taken to enable coal to be mined with the least expenditure of human labour?

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

The figures of the output per person and wages per ton in 1913 were given to the right hon. Member on the 23rd February. The number of persons engaged in coal mining in that year was 1,110,884. In the first eight weeks of 1920 the average was 1,184,250, and the output per person 32⅔ tons; information as to the wages per ton is not yet available. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for the Hamilton Division (Mr. D. Graham) on the 3rd March.

Mr. LAMBERT

Can my hon. Friend say what was the output per person in 1919?

Mr. BRIDGEMAN

I thought I had given that in the answer to the question on the 23rd February.