HC Deb 09 May 1929 vol 227 c2329
39. Mr. SHINWELL

asked the Secretary for Mines how many pits were working in January, 1925; how many in January of this year and the number of workpeople employed in the respective periods?

The SECRETARY for MINES (Commodore Douglas King)

At the end of January, 1925, 2,328 pits were working and 1,141,000 wage-earners were employed. The corresponding figures at the end of January, 1929, were 2,066 and 907,000.

Mr. SHINWELL

Do those figures indicate that round about 500 pits have been closed since January, 1925?

Commodore KING

That is a matter of arithmetic.

Mr. BATEY

Are not the Government responsible?