§ 64. Mr. Bateyasked the Secretary for Mines the number of coal mines in the county of Durham which have been closed since the last war, and the number it is now intended to re-open?
§ The Secretary for Mines (Mr. David Grenfell)The number of pits closed and not re-opened in Durham is approximately the same as that given to the hon. Member in answer to a Question in November, 1938;I am sending him a copy. While the question of re-opening pits will have to be considered, I am convinced that our wisest policy for the present is to allocate any additional manpower that becomes available to those pits which are already in production but are not fully manned.
§ Mr. BateyDid the Parliamentary Secretary hear the Minister of Labour say that in Durham County we have nearly 6,000 miners unemployed and that there are pits which are still closed down?
§ Mr. GrenfellIf there are other pits which can take these men it is far better to send them where they can be immediately engaged in the production of coal than in the slow work of developing an old mine?
§ Mr. BateyBut the fact that there are 6,000 men unemployed shows that you are not taking these men?
§ Mr. GrenfellThe hon. Member must know that there is in existence in Durham and in every other coalfield a production council which attends to these matters, and it will play its part in seeing that idle men are not sent to idle pits.
§ Mr. GrenfellI have never sheltered behind anybody in my life.