§ 94. Mr. H. G. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary for Mines whether he has any statement to make in respect of the coal mines negotiations?
§ The SECRETARY for MINES (Captain Crookshank)The hon. Member will have seen the Press announcement which was issued last evening by agreement between the representative coalowners and representatives of the Mineworkers' Federation after their joint meeting. The offer made on behalf of the coalowners, of an increase of wages in every district as from the 1st January, was reported to me by the Executive of the Federation at a meeting I had with them this morning, and is being considered this afternoon by the Delegate Conference of the Federation. The fact that the joint meeting was held, is, I think, in itself a matter for satisfaction, as indicating some progress towards a settlement of the dispute by direct negotiations between the two sides. I do not think that it is desirable that I should say any more at the moment, except that I am seeing the miners' representatives again this evening.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSIs the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that in the statement made by the mineowners no specific terms have been mentioned, and that the workpeople have not the faintest notion whether the offer is going to be 3d. a day or 3s. a day; and that, while the attitude of the mineworkers' representatives has been very restrained througout the negotiations, they are apprehensive as to what is going to take place? Have all the facts been put before the Prime Minister with regard to the very serious position?
§ Captain CROOKSHANKAll I can say is that I think I am perfectly well aware of all the facts from the conversations which I have had this morning; at the moment I do not think it is wise to say any more.
§ Later:
§ Mr. E. DUNNI desire to ask the Prime Minister a question of which I have given him Private Notice—
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a question which has just been answered in reply to Question No. 94.
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member's question was only put into my hands quite 1762 late to-day, when I was not in a position to study the Order Paper sufficiently to see that there was an exactly similar question down in the name of the hon. Member for South Croydon (Mr. H. G. Williams).
§ Mr. T. SMITHMay I submit to you, with great respect, that the matter contained in my hon. Friend's Private Notice question is vitally different from the matter contained in the question of the hon. Member for South Croydon?
§ Mr. SPEAKERIt is exactly the same question as that of the hon. Member for Bother Valley (Mr. E. Dunn).
§ 96. Mr. H. G. WILLIAMSasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will inquire fully into the question whether coal transferred by collieries to subsidiary undertakings, including subsidiary selling companies, is so dealt with as to cause a reduction of the total sums brought into the ascertainments for the calculation of miners' wages?
§ Captain CROOKSHANKAs I have already stated in this House, I regard it as necessary to ensure that under the new central selling arrangements the collieries will be credited with the proper proceeds for the purposes of the wages ascertainments. In the case of transfers to subsidiary companies, the only price which are relevant to the wages ascertainments are the transfer prices. I am informed that the wages agreements provide that, whatever the price may be at which the colliery company actually transfers coal to allied concerns, fair transfer prices must be credited for the purposes of the wages ascertainments; that the accountants appointed by the workmens' side, acting in conjunction with the accountants appointed by the owners' side, are entitled to satisfy themselves by inspection of the colliery books that the transfer prices actually credited in the wages ascertainments are fair, or to make such adjustments as are necessary; and I am informed that such adjustments are, as a matter of fact, made from time to time in the ascertainments.
§ Mr. LAWSONWill the hon. and gallant Gentleman inquire why it is that the companies that own these collieries are always saying that they are in a bad way while the subsidiary undertakings are doing very well?
§ Mr. H. G. WILLIAMSDo I understand from my hon. and gallant Friend's answer that the allegations customarily made on the other side of the House are without foundation?