STATEMENT BY MR. BRIDGEMAN. (Hansard, 3 November 1920)

Mr. GREENWOOD
I should like to ask the Secretary for Mines if he can give any information that will be a guide to those who are having workpeople stopped under the Coal Emergency Act, as to whether the Coal Emergency Orders will be cancelled forthwith or not, so that these industries may start work again immediately.

§ The SECRETARY for MINES (Mr. Bridgeman)
I understand that it has been decided to recommend that the miners shall go back to work forthwith.

§ Mr. ADAMSON
If I may interrupt. The strike has been declared off, and the 532 men return to work. That is more than "recommending.'

§ Mr. BRIDGEMAN
That is still more satisfactory, and I am very glad to hear what the right hon. Gentleman says. Assuming that the men do go back to work, I think the policy of the Department, which I represent, will be to give as free a hand as possible to all industrial concerns to use the stocks that they have got to the best advantage, and they must be the best judges of that, having in view the fact that owing to the strike having lasted nearly three weeks, it may not be easy to replenish these stocks at once. I think I may say that our desire is to take off all the restrictions that were put on with regard to industrial coal, but I cannot give any undertaking that it will be possible at once to relax the restrictions with respect to domestic coal. That question is to be considered immediately, but I think it may be necessary in the interests of the small user of domestic coal, to keep those restrictions on in some form or other for a little time. It certainly is our desire to relax them at the earliest possible moment for everyone concerned, but we must have in mind the needs of the small householder, and be quite sure that he will not be left without enough coal to go on with, and that whatever there is in stock will be used in such a way as to enable him without risk of shortage to carry on and use whatever coal is necessary. Therefore I think I can assure my hon. Friend that it is our desire to relax, as far as possible, the restrictions on domestic coal, and, if the men go back to work, to relax entirely the restrictions on industrial coal, but I would ask him and those who are concerned with industrial coal to remember that it may be rather difficult to replace the stocks in the course of the next two or three weeks.

§ Mr. SUGDEN
Arising out of the reply of the right hon. Gentleman, as he knows, both with regard to the steel and iron trade, very large preparations are necessary, do we understand that the "forthwith" which he suggests means commencing to-morrow or the day after? Those of us who are cognisant of the psychology of the Lancashire miners know that a decision having been come to, they will immediately, in one or two days, take 533 steps to produce the coal which is so essential. Do we understand, therefore, that, if the miners commence work on Monday morning—if they commence on Friday morning, as the leader of the Labour party suggests—the Department will give clear opportunity for the great iron, steel, cotton and woollen industries to obtain supplies of coal on the same day?

§ Major GLYN
May I ask whether we may take it from the right hon. Gentleman's answer that it is the intention of the Government to urge upon the railway companies to put into force the normal services before Monday of next week? Is it understood that, if the miners go back to work as soon as possible, there are sufficient stocks of coal at the disposal of the railway companies to put in force the normal traffic, at any rate over the week-end? It would make a great difference to many people who have been restricted in their movements to have an early intimation of this. The railway companies will want to know whether they may use up their reserve stocks, and whether it will be possible for the normal traffic at the week-end to be put in operation.

§ Mr. BRIDGEMAN
In regard to the question asked by the hon. Gentleman below the Gangway (Mr. Sugden), it is impossible for the Mines Department to guarantee that coal will be available for restocking the industries. What I said was that I hoped we should be able to allow those industries which have stocked coal to use that coal to the best of their judgment, and in the way it can be best employed to keep as large a number of people as possible at work during the next few days. I cannot, of course, guarantee that a further supply can be given in any district within any particular time. In regard to the question asked by the hon. and gallant Gentleman, that will be a matter for the Minister of Transport. But in relation to the whole matter, no hon. Member will expect me to give a very definite answer within a few hours of the decision arrived at this afternoon. I can only say that everything will be taken into full consideration, and it is our desire to relax restrictions as soon as it is possible to do so.