HC Deb 30 March 1922 vol 152 cc1550-1
103. Mr. CAIRNS

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that there are over one million of miners employed in the mines of this country; that £110,000,000 are paid in wages; that £160,000,000 is the capital invested in coal mines, and that for every £4 paid in wages, capital and costs average £3; that over £20,000,000 is earned by capital as profit and as surplus profit; will he say what is paid under the heading of other than wages as costs, and if profits exceed 12 per cent. on capital invested; if that is 50 per cent. increase over 1914; and if miners' wages are 25 per cent. only above 1914 wages?

The SECRETARY for MINES (Mr. Bridgeman)

With regard to the capital invested in the industry, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on the 19th April, 1921, to the hon. Member for Frome. As to the remainder of the question, no statistics are yet available except for the period of control and the quarter immediately succeeding the resumption of work after control. Conditions during these periods were, of course, quite abnormal, and any conclusions drawn from them would be altogether misleading as an indication of what the condition of the industry is at present, or is likely to be in the near future. As soon as later figures are available I shall be happy to supply the hon. Member with the information. I ought, perhaps, to add that I cannot understand how the proportion of £4 to £3 suggested by the hon. Member can have been arrived at.