HC Deb 20 February 1940 vol 357 cc1159-60
85 Mr. E. J. Williams

asked the Secretary for Mines (1) whether he will state the number of persons engaged on the surface and underground,

Particulars of number of wage-earners, earnings per shift and costs of production other than wages in Great Britain and South Wales and Monmouthshire in each year 1927 to 1939.
Period. Average Number of Wage-earners employed. Average cash earnings (i.e., excluding the value of allowances in kind) per man-shift worked above and below ground.* Total (net) Costs other the in Wages per ton of Coal disposable commercially.
Surface. Underground.
Great Britain.
Year: s. d. s. d.
1927 … 190,928 814,078 10 o¾ 4 11½
1928 … 176,301 744,959 9 3½ 4 8½
1929 … 177,029 762,338 9 2¾ 4 4½
1930 … 175,272 739,056 9 3½ 4 5
1931 … 165,643 685,980 9 2¼ 4 6
1932 … 158,076 645,539 9 2 4 7¼
1933 … 154,854 618,786 9 1½ 4 6¼
1934 … 155,990 616,841 9 1¾ 4 4¼
1935 … 153,964 600,336 9 3¼ 4 5¼
1936 … 154,523 597,197 10 0¼ 4 6
1937 … 159,462 616,677 10 8 4 10
1938 … 160,595 614,478 11 2¾† 5 5½
January to June, 1939 § … 160,171 612,855 11 5¾† 5 4
South Wales and Monmouthshire.‡
Year ended January:
1928 … 28,381 162,556 10 0¾ 5 7¾
1929 … 24,488 141,072 9 6½ 5 2¾
1930 … 24,963 150,786 9 5¾ 4 10
1931 … 24,611 145,622 9 6 5 1
1932 … 23,108 132,733 8 11½ 5 3
1933 … 21,877 121,630 8 11¼ 5 6¼
1934 … 21,726 119,023 8 11 5 6¾
1935 … 21,178 116,504 9 0½ 5 3¾
1936 … 20,151 109,553 9 3½ 5 4½
1937 … 19,786 104,445 9 8 5 7½
1938 … 20,852 113,052 10 4½ 5 9¼
1939 … 21,230 112,681 10 11½† 6 6½
February to July, 1939 § … 20,400 108,189 11 0 † 6 7½
* Particulars for Surface and Underground Worker separately are not available.
† Including allowances in respect of Holidays with Pay.
‡ Ascertainment particulars for South Wales and Monmouthshire are not available for calendar years.
§ It is no tin the public interest to publish war-time figures.
Note.—Certain flat rate wage increases have come into operation as from the 1st November, 1939

respectively, in the South Wales and Monmouthshire coalfield for the years 1927 to date;

(2) whether he will give the average wage per shift paid to employés on the surface and underground, respectively, for 1927 and each year to date;

(3) whether he will state the amount of costs, other than wages cost, per ton of coal disposal for 1927, and each year to date?

Mr. Lloyd

As these Questions involve a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the information: