HC Deb 26 July 1955 vol 544 cc986-7
53. Mr. Swingler

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the coal shortage, what special steps are being taken by his Department to recruit more men for the mines.

Mr. Watkinson

Local offices of the Ministry of Labour throughout the country give special and continuing attention to finding suitable men for employment in the coal mines and this is re-enforced at the present time by a special publicity campaign run jointly with the National Coal Board; in addition, all men who register for National Service are reminded that call-up is deferred in all cases where men are satisfactorily employed underground in coal mines.

Mr. Swingler

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that his Department gives the impression of complacency in this matter? In view of the nation's urgent need for coal, and the wide open opportunities to get more coal, especially in the coalfields in North Staffordshire, where there are hundreds of vacancies, surely his Department should carry out some sort of investigation to discover the reason it has failed to get the men to get the coal?

Mr. Watkinson

We think it more important to get on with the job of trying to recruit more miners; we are more concerned with that.

Captain Waterhouse

If the hon. Gentleman is not able to get British recruits, will he not reopen negotiations with the miners' union in order to get permission to import some foreign recruits, possibly Italian?

Mr. Lindgren

Before taking that action, will the Minister carry out a propaganda recruiting campaign in the public schools of this country?

Mr. Watkinson

We are carrying out the largest recruiting campaign that we have even undertaken.