HC Deb 12 November 1940 vol 365 cc1570-1
42. Mr. Bevan

asked the Secretary for Mines what steps he is taking, other than the payment of unemployment benefit, to safeguard the position of the miners and secure their full employment?

Mr. Grenfell

As my hon. Friend will be aware, unemployment at the pits is due, on the one hand, to the closing of export markets, and, on the other, to difficulties of distribution. Every effort is being made, in conjunction with the Departments concerned, as well as with the industry, to overcome the difficulties of distribution as they arise.

Mr. Bevan

Is not the hon. Member aware that the difficulties arising in the coal industry, as illustrated by the last Question, are caused by the fact that the industry is unequally affected by the war, and that some system of national unification of industry will have to be adopted? Has he made representations to the Government—because he himself has no power in the matter—in order to bring about national unification of industry?

Mr. Grenfell

I am not sure that national unification of production alone will serve this purpose. But I am in very close contact with other Departments, and there is a special committee in my Department, sitting every day at 11 o'clock, dealing with the distribution of coal, while I personally attend the committee with representatives of other Departments at which all these problems are dealt with.

Mr. Lawson

Is the Minister aware that this matter is becoming so serious that unless something drastic is done it will have serious effect upon the war effort in these areas?

Mr. Grenfell

I am not allowed to forget that. The organisation of the work-people themselves approaches me often. There is no danger that the Government will be allowed to overlook the difficulties in the coal trade, but one must have regard to the conditions. All I promise is that everything possible will be done.

Mr. Leslie Boyce

Is not this problem largely bound up with the shortage of wagons and the difficulty of transport generally?

Mr. Grenfell

No, Sir. The hon. Member knows the working conditions as well as I do. There is no shortage of wagons. All these so-called explanations which attribute the transport difficulty to a shortage of wagons here and there do not cover the position at all.