FUEL EMERGENCY (Hansard, 28 February 1947)

§ The Prime Minister (Mr. Attlee)
I propose, with Mr. Speaker's permission, to make a further statement on the fuel position.
The building up of stocks at power stations has continued and the average level throughout the country is now 16½ days' consumption. In the South-East England area, stocks have reached the same average level, but at five of the 27 generating stations stocks are still below the minimum level of the two weeks' consumption.
In these circumstances, the Government have not yet felt able to decide the date on which it will be safe to allow a general resumption of the use of power by industry in the South-Eastern areas. The position will, however, be reviewed again this evening, and I may be able to issue a statement over the weekend.
On Wednesday, 26th February, 1,520,321 insured persons were registered as unemployed in the country as a whole, and it is estimated that, in addition, there were 228,700 persons unemployed who were not claiming unemployment benefit. The combined figure shows a decrease of 624,200 since Saturday, 22nd February.
In the Midland and North Midland Regions, which cover the Central area, where the use of power by industry was resumed last Monday, the total drop in unemployment up to last Wednesday is estimated at 528,000, or 75 per cent. of the number at 22nd February.
In the other six regions, where the use of electricity for industrial purposes has been restricted, there has been an increase 2428 of 4,000 in the numbers registered as unemployed, but a drop of over 93,000 in the estimated numbers unemployed but not claiming benefit.
I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a full regional analysis of unemployment.

§ Mr. Eden
Could the right hon. Gentleman give us any estimate, either now or perhaps early next week, as to what saving of coal has been effected by all these cuts, for instance, how many tons of output do they represent?

§ The Prime Minister
I have not those figures now, but I will give the information next week, in my next statement.

§ Mr. Eden
The right hon. Gentleman will have seen the statement by the Secretary of the Miners' Federation that the breakdown has been due to transport, and I think the House would like to know whether he could make any comment on that statement, particularly in view of the responsibility of the Minister of Transport.

§ The Prime Minister
No, it is not only due to transport. Transport difficulties are one of the factors, but it would be wrong to put it down solely to transport. There have been great difficulties with rolling stock, engines, and other things, due to repairs needed after the war, and so on. There have been occasional—even, at times, considerable—difficulties in the supply of wagons, but, as I have said, it would be a mistake to put it all down to transport.

§ Mr. Beechman
As it is snowing again, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether troops will be used to shift coal from the pitheads?

§ The Prime Minister
Wherever necessary, troops are being used.

§ Mr. Eden
Arising out of the report which we have read today about the conversations between the Prime Minister and members of the mining industry, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is now agreement that the minimum target which has been laid down by the Government can be achieved, in view of some of the disturbing statements we have read, and in view of the fact that the minimum target is still below what was achieved in 1941 by the same number of men with less equipment?

§ The Prime Minister
We believe that it can be achieved. The miners' representatives were with us, and we are going all out to get it.

§ Mr. Scollan
When the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Warwick and Leamington (Mr. Eden) says that the target is below the tonnage that was obtained with the same number of men, using less equipment, in 1941, is it not a fact that the position in the mines today makes it very much more difficult to

§ The Prime Minister
I think it is very difficult to compare one year with another. The condition of the mines, of mining machinery, and the exact composition of the mining force and so on, have to be considered. I think one has to make these comparisons with a good deal of care.

Region	—	Number registered as unemployed	Estimated number unemployed but not claiming benefit.
22nd February, 1947.	26th February, 1947.	Change 22nd–26th February.
London and south Eastern	Wholly Unempld.	69,514	74,008	+4,494
		Temp. Stopped	284,167	301,165	+16,998
		Total	353,681	375,173	+21,492	99,100
Eastern	…	Wholly Unempld.	19,945	20,974	+1,029
		Temp. Stopped	76,762	75,356	-1,406
		Total	96,707	96,330	-377	18,900
Southern	…	Wholly Unempld.	11,126	11,457	+331
		Temp. Stopped	26,594	22,164	-4,430
		Total	37,720	33,621	-4,099	7,500
South Western	…	Wholly Unempld.	14,119	14,844	+725
		Temp. Stopped	7,948	9,264	+1,316
		Total	22,067	24,108	+2,041	2,100
Midlands	…	Wholly Unempld.	21,317	19,829	-1,488
		Temp. Stopped	335,119	93,327	-241,792
		Total	356,436	113,156	-243,280	7,100
North Midlands	…	Wholly Unempld.	15,985	16,282	+297
		Temp. Stopped	141,267	35,789	-105,478
		Total	157,252	52,071	-105,181	4,300
East and West Ridings	Wholly Unempld.	26,553	26,390	-163
		Temp. Stopped	83,427	72,268	-11,159
		Total	109,980	98,658	-11,322	14,900
North Western	Wholly Unempld.	82,309	84,316	+2,007
		Temp. Stopped	402,899	385,967	-16,932
		Total	485,208	470,283	-14,925	67,700
Northern	…	Wholly Unempld.	52,472	52,801	+329
		Temp. Stopped	21,530	21,256	-274
		Total	74,002	74,057	+55	500
Scotland	…	Wholly Unempld.	84,910	85,287	+377
		Temp. Stopped	8,912	13,174	+4,262
		Total	93,822	98,461	+4,639	5,400

Region	—	Number registered as unemployed.	Estimated number unemployed but not claiming benefit.
22nd February, 1947.	26th February, 1947	Change 22nd–26th February.
Wales	…	Wholly Unempld.	57,786	58,891	+1,105
		Temp. Stopped	24,744	25,512	+768
		Total	82,530	84,403	+1,873	1,200
GRAND TOTALS	…	Wholly Unempld.	456,036	465,079	+9,043
		Temp Stopped	1,413,369	1,055,242	-358,127
		Totals	1,869,405	1,520,321	-349,084	228,700