§ 103. Major Sir B. FALLEasked the Secretary for Mines whether the £10,000,000 offered by the Government to the coalmining industry under certain conditions would have been devoted to assisting the coalowners to repair the damage done to the pits by the stoppage, or in what way would the money have been spent: and if he can make any statement thereon?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI need hardly assure my hon. and gallant Friend that there is no truth whatever in the suggestion referred to. The whole of the subvention offered by the Government would have been devoted to increasing wages above the rates at which they would otherwise have been payable. Not a penny of it would have gone into the pockets of the owners.
§ Mr. HARTSHORNIs it not a fact that during the period when the mines would 1538 be re-opened the deficit on the industry would be made good out of the £10,000,000?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThe £10,000,000 would have been used only in those cases where the rate of wages would have been below that decided upon for the whole industry.
§ Mr. HARTSHORNIs it not a fact that in ascertaining whether wages should be below or not, all costs of material, timber, clearing of falls and water would be taken into account, and would be shown in the balance sheet for the period?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIf there had been anything more in one period it would have been made good in the next, under that arrangement.