§ 5. Mr. James Griffithsasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the number of persons employed in the coalmining industry, giving separate figures for those engaged underground and on the surface; and the number between the ages of 14–16 years and 16–18 years in each category?
Major Lloyd GeorgeThe number of persons employed in the coalmining industry at the present time is 706,000; of these, 545,000 work underground and 161,000 work on the surface. The number of boys under 16 years of age at mid-December, 1942, the latest date for which particulars are available, was 8,803 underground and 10,960 aboveground. The number between 16 and 18 years of age was 21,225 belowground and 12,396 aboveground.
§ Mr. GriffithsHaving regard to these factors, would it not be wrong to conclude that by increasing man-power by 20,000 all round the number of boys the Minister will require will be about 3,000 or 4,000?