§ 11. Sir Arnold Gridleyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many employees were at work in coalmines on 1st January, 1942; and how many were so employed at the most recent date for which figures are available?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe number of wage-earners on colliery books was, at 3rd January, 1942, 708,008, and on 12th September, 1942, 711,498.
§ 12. Sir A. Gridleyasked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many of the employees now at work in mines are, respectively, newcomers during 1942 and former miners released from the Services; and what proportion of the latter are coal face workers?
Major Lloyd GeorgeBetween 3rd January, 1942, and 19th September, 1942, 9,192 men released from the Army and the Royal Air Force and 9,765 men transferred from other industries returned to work in the coal mining industry. It is estimated that approximately 8,000 juveniles started work in the same period. I regret that the information requested in the last part of the Question is not avail-; able. The special schemes for the release of men from the Forces have related, however, only to underground workers.