§ 28. Mr. James Griffithsasked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make a statement on the recent meeting of the International Labour Office dealing with the hours of work in coal mines; and what action he proposes to take in the matter, with a view to securing the ratification of the convention on hours of work in coal mines?
§ Captain CrookshankThe recent tripartite meeting was called to consider the general question of the further reduction of hours of work in coal mines, not the ratification of the 1931 draft convention which was revised in 1935. The meeting agreed a list of points on which it considered that Governments could usefully be consulted, and a resolution expressing the opinion that the question should be placed on the agenda of the 1939 conference with a view to final discussion was carried by 15 votes to nil.
§ Mr. GriffithsWill the Government bear in mind that the representatives of the Miners' Federation of Great Britain have indicated clearly that unless there is some international regulation of the hours of labour they will be compelled to take action locally at home?
§ by electric and compressed-air machines, respectively, for the past 10 years?
§ The Secretary for Mines (Captain Crookshank)As the reply involves a statistical table, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the Official Report.
§ Following is the reply:
§ Mr. PalingWill the Government do all they can to secure a reduction of the hours?