§ 3. Mr. Colegateasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total output of coal for each of the eight weeks of the output bonus periods already expired and the number of wage-earners on the colliery 166 books for each week, with similar figures for the corresponding weeks of 1941?
§ The Minister of Fuel and Power (Major Lloyd George)It would not be in the public interest to publish regularly the figures relating to individual weeks, but with my hon. Friend's permission I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table giving the weekly average for each of the two bonus periods and corresponding figures for a year ago.
§ Mr. ColegateWould not my right hon. and gallant Friend agree that having regard to the fact that there are a larger number of men in the industry than at the corresponding period of last year the results are still a little disappointing?
§ Major Lloyd GeorgeI agree, as I have already said in public, that they are not as satisfactory as I should like to see them, but I think we must also bear in mind that the tendency in the earlier part of the summer for a steady decline in output has been halted and the position has been reversed, which is very satisfactory.
§ Following is the table:
| — | Weekly Output. | Average Wage-earners on Colliery Books. |
| 4 weeks ended 3rd October, 1942. | 4,076,100 | 711,388 |
| 4 weeks ended 31st October, 1942. | 4,124,500 | 711,042 |
| 4 weeks ended 4th October, 1941. | 4,146,600 | 705,172 |
| 4 weeks ended 1st November, 1941. | 4,131,400 | 706,765 |