§ 30. Mr. MARDY JONESasked the Secretary for Mines what is the average amount paid per ton in mineral royalties in each of the following coalfields: South Wales, Durham, Northumberland, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Fifeshire and Lanarkshire; and what is the amount of the average mineral royalty per ton paid on Cleveland iron ore, on Cumberland iron ore, and on Northampton iron ore at the present time?
§ Colonel LANE-FOXAs the answer is necessarily long and full of figures, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Mr. JONESWill the Minister give cognisance to the fact that it is not only the royalties on coal but on iron ore; are not these a great charge upon the cost of production?
§ Colonel LANE-FOXThat is the very reason why I say that the answer is too long to give now.
§ Mr. CONNOLLYWill the Minister of Mines give some attention to putting our own heavy steel industry on an equal footing with that of Germany, and is the 2210 Government considering the way Germany did it—nationalising the mining royalties?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is quite another question.
§ Following is the answer:
§ The average royalties per ton of coal raised in the first three months of 1925 were as follows: —
| Per ton. | |
| d. | |
| South Wales and Monmouth | 8.34 |
| Durham | 6.13 |
| Northumberland | 6.24 |
| Lancs., N. Staffs and Cheshire | 4.66 |
| Eastern District (including Yorkshire, Notts, Derby, Leicester, Cannock Chase and Warwickshire) | 4.17 |
| Scotland | 6.19 |
§ Separate particulars for Lancashire, Yorkshire, Fifeshire and Lanarkshire are not available.
§ There are no official statistics of the royalties on iron ore and ironstone, but I am informed that in Cleveland they range from 2½d. to 6d. a ton, in Northamptonshire from 4d. to 6d., and in Cumberland 2s. 6d. may probably be regarded as a representative figure.
§ 31. Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary for Mines whether the Government will take steps with a view to the devising of means by which the amount now paid as mineral loyalties can be transferred to the Miners' Welfare Fund immediately or, alternatively, will see they are paid into the national Exchequer?
§ Colonel LANE-FOXNo, Sir. The acquisition of royalties does not form part of the Government's programme, and I have introduced a Bill, to which I hope the House will assent, making provision for continuing the Miners' Welfare Fund from the same source as at present.
§ Mr. LUNNMay I ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman what useful service is rendered by this body of people who receive 6½ million pounds sterling in mineral royalties? Could not that money be used for a much better purpose in view of a great depression in this industry?
§ Colonel LANE-FOXI think that hardly arises out of the question—
§ Colonel LANE-FOXIt is a very big question. I should like to point out that whether the royalties are paid to the State or to private persons does not make any difference to the wage capacity of the industry.
§ Mr. PALINGIs not this a question which largely affects the state of industry, in view of the fact that this huge amount of money is being paid to people who do nothing for it? Would not the hon. and gallant Gentleman take into consideration the question, helping of industry with that money?
§ Mr. MARDY JONESIs it not a fact that, in addition to the 400 millions sterling paid in royalties on coal during the last 60 years, 4,000,000 tons of coal have been allowed to waste underground because of this royalty system?