§ 47. Mr. William Wellsasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many miners were employed in the Ruhr coalfield at the end of September, 1946; and how this figure compares with the number employed at the end of June, 1946.
§ Mr. J. HyndThe September figure was 251,600 as compared with 248,200 for June.
§ Mr. WellsWill my hon. Friend say what steps are being taken still further to increase the labour force?
§ Mr. HyndA large number of steps, including first of all direction of labour, the priority recruitment of prisoner of war labour for work in the mines, the concentration of building materials for providing houses and repairs to houses in mining areas, priority in the allocation of consumer goods and other incentives to employment.
§ 48. Mr. W. Wellsasked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many tons of hard coal extracted from the Ruhr coalfield were exported during the three months ending 30th September last.
§ Mr. J. HyndAbout two and a half million tons.