HC Deb 07 May 1951 vol 487 cc1568-70
20. Mr. Tom Brown

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is now in a position to state the total output the miners have produced in response to the Prime Minister's appeal some three months ago.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

The average number of workers in the pits during the first four months of this year was 6,500 less than in the corresponding period a year ago. During January and February there was the worst epidemic of influenza for many years. In spite of these handicaps, the output of deep-mined coal was 3,078,000 tons more than were produced in the first four months of 1950. I am sure the House will agree that this result reflects great credit on the National Coal Board, on the divisional boards, and on the managements and men.

Mr. Brown

Is my right hon. Friend aware that his answer contains conclusive evidence which gives the lie direct to statements made in certain quarters in January and February that the miners were not pulling their weight? Is he further aware that it reveals the active patriotism of British miners?

Mr. Noel-Baker

I am fully in agreement with my hon. Friend.

Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd

While agreeing very much with what the hon. Member for Ince (Mr. T. Brown) and the Minister have said about the miners, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether his statement does not also conclusively show that it would have been much wiser to have made this appeal earlier and not to have waited until January, when the shortage was already causing hardship?

Mr. Nicholson

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that this is a very important question and should not be a mere cockshy of party politics? Can he tell the House how much of this welcome increase is due to extra hard work on the part of the miners, how much is due to reorganisation by his Department, and how much is due to mechanisation, and so on?

Mr. Noel-Baker

I hope and believe that the investment programme of the Coal Board is giving constantly increasing results. Saturday working is certainly giving a large part of the additional coal; and the output per man shift, although it tends to be reduced by Saturday working because of the short shift, has, nevertheless, been 3 per cent. higher than last year.

Sir Peter Macdonald

Is it now necessary to import coal from America at £8 a ton, occupying a great part of our shipping space?

Mr. Noel-Baker

That is another question.

Mr. Nicholson

Will the right hon. Gentleman break these figures up into districts?

Mr. Noel-Baker

There is another Question on that on the Order Paper.

21. Mr. T. Brown

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the output of coal from each region separately in response to the Prime Minister's appeal some three months ago; and the output for the same period in 1950.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

Every division, and, to the best of my knowledge, every area, has made its contribution to the increased output of deep mined coal which there has been this year. With my hon. Friend's permission, I will circulate the detailed figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following are the figures:

DEEP-MINED OUTPUT FOR FIRST 17 WEEKS OF YEAR
Tons
Division 17 weeks ended 28th April, 1951 17 weeks ended 29th April, 1950 Increase 1951 over 1950
Scotland 8,043,600 7,788,100 +255,500
Northern (N. & C.) 4,429,200 4,333,500 +95,700
Durham 9,170,800 8,742,000 +428,800
North-Eastern. 14,973,900 14,396,300 +577,600
North-western. 5,218,300 4,869,500 +348,800
East Midlands. 14,326,900 13,402,500 +924,400
West Midlands. 6,110,500 5,915,000 +195,500
South-Western. 8,453,000 8,228,900 +224,100
South-Eastern. 595,500 568,200 +27,300
Great Britain. 71,321,700 68,244,000 +3,077,700

27. Mr. Shepherd

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the extent to which the miners have been able to fulfil their undertaking of an extra 3,000,000 tons of coal made to the Prime Minister.

Mr. P. Noel-Baker

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have made this afternoon to Question No. 20.