§ 71. Mr. E. J. Williamsasked the Secretary for Mines the number of pits closed in the British coalfield, and the number of persons rendered idle since 1924?
§ Captain CrookshankSince 1st January, 1924, 1,390 pits in Great Britain, each employing 10 or more persons, and in the aggregate 201,244 persons, have been closed and not re-opened, but it would be wrong to assume that all these persons were rendered idle. In a number of cases the output and some of the employés were transferred to other pits.
§ Sir G. FoxWere not most of those pits closed as a result of the general strike of 1926?
§ Mr. LawsonHas the Minister any information about how many of those pits have been closed by the action of the Import Duties Advisory Committee?