§ 17. Mr. MAINWARINGasked the Secretary for Mines if he will call upon the coalowners' association in each of the coal mining districts of Britain to make a return to him showing the amount of dead rents paid by their members on account of idle pits and areas of coal not in active exploitation, and the amount so paid for the year 1932; and will he, upon receipt of this information, report to the House?
§ The SECRETARY for MINES (Mr. Ernest Brown)I doubt very much whether, owing to the varying forms in which mining leases are drawn and dead rents dealt with, the information obtained would be sufficiently accurate to allow any conclusions of value to be arrived at. I do not consider, therefore, that the results of such a special inquiry would justify the expense and trouble which it would involve.