§ 23. Mr. D. GRENFELL (for Mr. C. EDWARDS)asked the Secretary for Mines if he will give the number of persons engaged in the mining industry for each complete month of this year and the number of men over 60 years of age at present engaged in the industry?
§ Colonel LANE FOXThe total numbers of wage-earners employed at the end of each month of the present year were as follows: January, 996,100; February, 1,012,700; March, 1,026,200; April 1,028,700; and May, 1,025,700. With regard to the latter part of the question, the latest information is that obtained from the Decennial Census of Population of 1921, when 5.9 per cent. of the men employed in the coal mining industry were over 60 years of age.
§ Mr. GRENFELLIs it not possible to obtain from the collieries the number of men over 60 years of age employed?
§ Colonel LANE FOXYes, Sir, it would be possible, but it would mean communicating with every individual undertaking, and that would involve a tremendous amount of work, and I doubt whether the result would be worth it.
§ Mr. CECIL WILSONIs not that information being completed now by the Ministry of Labour?
§ Colonel LANE FOXThat question should be addressed to the Minister of Labour.