HC Deb 24 June 1948 vol 452 cc1533-4
4. Mr. Hurd

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the average age of men working at the coal face now compared with 1938.

Mr. Gaitskell

I find on inquiry that no separate information is available about the age of coalface workers.

Mr. Hurd

Is not this very important information which the House of Commons should have? As the Minister was good enough to give me last week the average ages of all those on colliery books, is it not very important to have this section of the coalface workers shown separately?

Mr. Gaitskell

If I had the information I would gladly give it, but it would take a tremendous amount of time and trouble to acquire.

Mr. Emrys Hughes

Has the Minister any information showing the average age of members of the Coal Board, compared with the average age of colliery directors before nationalisation?

Mr. Gaitskell

That is another question.

Mr. Pryde

Is it not a fact that all this data was in the hands of the former private owners of the coal industry and that it was retained by them when the mines were nationalised?

Mr. Gaitskell

I do not think that they had this information.