§ 28. Mr. TINKERasked the Secretary for Mines if he will state whether it is his intention to call together the three organisations he has written to for their views on the working of Part I of the Mines Act of 1930 when he has considered their replies?
§ Mr. ISAAC FOOTI would remind the hon. Member that I consulted five organisations on this matter. Detailed replies have now been received from four of these organisations, and the Mining Association have sent me a copy of a resolution adopted on 10th March appointing a committee to formulate for submission to the Central Council proposals for the amendment of the existing provisions of Part I of the Act. Apart from these replies, other representations have been laid before me by bodies interested in the working of the Act. I do not think it will be necessary to call the several organisations together as suggested in the question.
§ Mr. BATEYCan the Secretary for Mines tell us the names of the other three organisations who have been consulted independently of the Mining Association and the Miners' Federation?
§ Mr. FOOTThe British Coal Exporters' Federation, the Coal Merchants' Federation, and the National Council of Coal Traders.
§ 29. Mr. JENNINGSasked the Secretary of Mines whether he can give the total tonnage of orders for export coal during 1931 which has had to be refused by North-east Coast collieries, owing to their having exhausted their quota under the Coal Mines Act, 1930?
§ Mr. FOOTI am unable to give the information asked for, but my hon. Friend may like to know that during 1931, the total output of Northumberland and Durham was 7½ per cent. less than the permitted output.
§ Mr. JENNINGSIs not information such as this absolutely essential to prove whether the Act has been detrimental or beneficial to the coal industry?
§ Mr. FOOTThat information would be at the disposal of the coal industry organisations who are working the Act, and it is for them to make a report upon this subject. We have not the information available relating to the particular figures.
§ Mr. JENNINGSI have taken the trouble myself to ascertain the tonnage of orders lost, orders amounting to thousands of tons for Northumberland and Durham, and why cannot the Secretary for Mines ascertain the figures?
§ Mr. LAWSONIs it not a fact that we are really losing orders because of the tariff policy of the Government?
§ 30. Mr. JENNINGSasked the Secretary for Mines whether he has yet received the views of the coal exporters in relation to their prospects of booking export orders under the existing provisions of the Coal Mines Act, 1930; and what hope of improvement in the coal trade is suggested by them?
§ Mr. FOOTI have received the views of the British Coal Exporters' Federation with regard to the future of Part I of the Coal Mines Act, 1930, but that reply does not attempt to forecast the future course of the coal export trade.
§ Mr. G. NICHOLSONDoes the hon. Gentleman accept the view implied in this question and the previous question?
§ Mr. FOOTI am, not able to accept any view as yet. I have received representations in favour of Part I and against it. Those representations have to be weighed before any decision is come to, and I cannot commit myself to any decision in advance.
§ Mr. JENNINGSCan the hon. Gentleman tell us when he is likely to finish weighing those representations?
§ Mr. FOOTI have not yet received all the replies. I assume that it will not be the wish of the House that a decision should be come to before all the representations have been received.
§ Mr. PIKEWill the Secretary for Mines consider the district position rather than the national one?
§ Mr. FOOTAll these positions will be taken into consideration, and we shall have representations from the Central Council about the position in the districts.