§ 33. Mr. BATEYasked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that there are a large 2343 number of miners unemployed in the county of Durham; and whether he will inquire of the Durham coal-owners belonging to the collieries where these men were employed if it is possible to re-open their pits or parts of the pits which are closed so that the miners can be again employed, seeing that the coal-owners average profit, as revealed by the last two monthly ascertainments, was Is. 10½d. per ton for the month of October and 2s. 0½d. per ton for the month of September?
§ Lieut.-Colonel LANE-FOXI am aware that certain coal mines in Durham which employed before the War about 2½ per cent, of the total number of colliery workers in the county are not at present working. I have no doubt that they would not remain closed if it were possible to work them profitably, and it is impossible for me to bring any pressure to bear upon the owners in the matter. The hon. Member will understand that the realisation of a certain average profit for the district does not necessarily mean that any given pit can work at that profit or indeed at any profit at all.
§ Mr. BATEYI was not suggesting that the hon. Gentleman should bring pressure on the coalowners. I was asking him to see the coalowners, because their argument now is that parts of the mine are not profitable and therefore they arc unemployed
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member cannot argue at Question Time.