43. Miss WARDasked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been directed to the latest monthly as certainment for Northumberland; and what are the reasons for the unsatisfactory finan cial result, bearing in mind the regu larity of the month's working?
§ Mr. E. BROWNThe answer to the first part of the question is, Yes. With regard to the second part, I am aware that there was a debit balance in April as compared with a credit balance in March, the average costs of production having increased while the average pro ceeds per to n decreased. Both the out put and the average number of days on which coal was wound were lower in April than in March; but it must be remem bered that the Easter holidays fell in April. The Northumberland as certainment results for March and April, re spectively, have been in a somewhat similar relationship to each other for some years past, and I do not think that myhon. Friend need draw specially unfavour able conclusions from the April figures.
§ Mr. G. NICHOLSONWill the hon. Gentleman make inquiries into the extra ordinarily low and increasingly low level of wages in Northumberland?
Miss WARDDoes the hon. Gentleman think that it has anything to do with the low price at which Northumberland coal is selling, and can we have an as surance, if this statement is substantiated, that the Government will take steps to see that in the interests both of the trade and of miners' wages prices commensurate with the quality of the coal is obtained?
§ Mr. BROWNMy hon. Friend will understand that my previous answer covers that point. It is mainly a problem of selling.