§ 31. Mr. LUNNasked the Secretary for Mines whether, in the event of Clause 22 of the Mining Industry Bill becoming law, local welfare committees will be enabled to divert any part of the sums allocated for mining education to other purposes?
§ Colonel LANE FOXThe allocation of the Miners' Welfare Fund, whether for education or any other purpose is in the hands not of the local welfare committees, but of the Miners' Welfare Committee, and their powers and duties are not affected in any way by Clause 22 of the Mining Industry Bill. Indeed, I do not see that there is any connection between the two.
§ Mr. LUNNThe right hon. Gentleman, in an answer the other day, said that £200,000 is being applied this year for mining education, and does he not think that if Clause 22 is passed, it will have a great effect in retarding young miners going in for education of a mining character?
§ Colonel LANE FOXNo, Sir. It will have no effect of that kind. The hon. Member need not be so anxious about Clause 22. It is not certainly so serious as he thinks.