§ 16. Mr. SHINWELLasked the Secretary for Mines how many boys between the ages of 14 and 16 have entered the mining industry in the first three months of this year, and the number of new entrants other than boys for the same period?
§ The PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY to the MINISTRY of LABOUR (Mr. Betterton)I have been asked to reply. The available statistics include only persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts and accordingly do not relate to boys below 16 years of age. During the three months to 31st March last, 7,506 boys, aged 16 and 17, in the coal mining industry entered insurance as well as 95 girls of those ages, 511 men and 34 women. Most of the boys and girls were, no doubt, already in the industry when they reached 16 years of age and became insurable, but separate statistics of these cases are not available.
§ Mr. SHINWELLDoes not that prove that the voluntary arrangement between the owners and the Miners' Federation in respect of the recruitment of new labour for the mining industry has completely failed?
§ Mr. BETTERTONI should draw precisely the opposite conclusion.