49. Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANasked the Secretary for Mines the numbers of the owners of collieries in the British coalfields under his control who are also the certificated managers of their own collieries, and are actually and daily engaged precisely and solely in the work of supervision exactly as other managers who are employés of their respective colliery companies?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI regret that there is no information available on this point in the Mines Department.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries with regard to it? This is a very important matter. There is a provision in the Mines Act with regard to this very question.
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI will see whether it is possible to make any other inquiries, but I think that it is impossible without a great deal of work for my Department.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANIs the right hon. Gentleman not aware that there is a special provision in the Mines Act, whereby owner-managers must be registered with the Mines Department?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI will inquire into that. I was not aware of it.
50. Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANasked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that the owner-managers are not allowed any additional amounts on their salaries as compared with the pre-War standard period; is this done in conformity with the Coal Mines Agreement Act; and, if this is so, will he seek powers whereby, when the said colliery accounts are adjusted, these owner-managers shall be treated on a basis of equality with other managers in so far as it affects the cost of living up to the end of the period of control?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANThis question is primarily a matter for the Inland Revenue, but I would draw the hon. and gallant Member's attention to Section 3, Sub-section (1, 6), of the Coal Mines (Emergency) Act, 1920, which provides that an addition shall, in certain circumstances, be made to the pre-War standard of an undertaking owned by a firm in respect of each partner whose remuneration is included in the profits. If the hon. and gallant Member has any specific case in mind which he desires to discuss, I would suggest that he should see the local Inspector of Taxes.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that the salaries of all managers by that very Section have been increased; and why, inasmuch as there is provision there, the same privilege is not extended to an owner-manager?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANI am not quite clear it is not under Section 3, Sub-section (1, b), of the Coal Mines (Emergency) Act.
Lieut.-Colonel WATTS-MORGANWill the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries from his own Department why they have turned down the requests which have been made, when the salaries of managers under the Act of 1920 have been increased from £300 to £900?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANIt is primarily a question for the Inland Revenue, but I will inquire, and it will help me very much if the hon. and gallant Gentleman will give me some specific cases, so that I can put the question directly to those concerned.