HC Deb 13 February 1956 vol 548 cc2059-61
40. Dame Irene Ward

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will provide a detailed annual analysis, since nationalisation, area by area, of the improvements per man year in coal production arising from capital investment; and of earnings and voluntary absenteeism.

Mr. Aubrey Jones

With permission, I will circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT. But I would ask my hon. Friend when she studies the table to bear in mind that no valid conclusions can be drawn from a simple comparison of capital expenditure and output per man in any particular year, for much of the expenditure is on projects that take time to complete and can show results only after some years.

Dame Irene Ward

May I thank my right hon. Friend for his undertaking, which at any rate makes progress in letting the country know what advantages we may obtain in increased coal production by the capital expenditure involved? I think it is a very good idea to go forward with this matter.

Following is the table:

1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955
Average weekly cash earnings {excluding value of allowances in kind) s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d.
Scottish 135 6 162 7 170 2 174 3 190 7 214 5 222 4 234 5 240 11§
Northern (N. & C.). 131 10 154 0 169 3 177 5 194 7 213 8 218 3 233 11 242 2§
Durham 172 3 192 3 213 5 218 5 228 10 239 3§
North Eastern 131 11 161 0 166 10 174 7 194 10 215 3 221 8 233 3 240 0§
North Western 131 7 149 7 154 8 164 5 188 10 208 0 215 3 226 8 235 10§
East Midlands 150 1 169 6 186 5 196 4 218 8 238 1 245 8 263 5 270 7§
West Midlands 128 4 149 10 162 9 171 0 192 5 212 0 215 1 227 8 236 9§
South Western 123 3 149 7 155 7 162 10 183 9 203 8 211 1 225 3 233 6§
South Eastern 135 5 158 10 178 1 189 3 215 2 237 11 245 4 254 0 260 2§
GREAT BRITAIN 133 0 157 1 167 6‡ 174 8 195 1 215 7 222 0 235 1 243 2§
Voluntary Absence percen-tage
Scoltish 4.67 4.85 5.04 4.89 4.86 5.17 3.49 3.58 3.72
Northern (N. & C.) 4.04 3.01 2.63 2.60 2.71 2.76 1.85 1.75 1.85
Durham 3.85 3.08 2.78 2.64 2.62 2.75 1.49 1.37 1.39
North Eastern 8.95 8.73 7.37 6.97 7.67 8.42 5.60 5.06 4.94
North Western 7.52 6.47 5.74 5.74 8.44 8.00 4.99 4.99 5.24
East Midlands 7.33 6.95 6.18 5.76 5.92 6.13 5.76 5.31 5.48
West Midlands 9.79 9.29 8.29 6.91 7.11 7.25 6.83 6.22 6.52
South Western 4.86 4.78 4.65 4.52 5.15 5.59 3.56 3.46 3.73
South Eastern 11.99 8.41 6.97 6.10 6.68 7.61 5.46 4.76 5.10
GREAT BRITAIN 6.46 603 5.43 5.10 5.62 5.93 4.26¶ 4.01 4.12
* Includes about £250 thousand for second hand plant, machinery and vehicles.
† From the beginning of 1954 a uniform definition of colliery activities was introduced. The effect of the change on average output per man per year for Great Britain was to increase it by about 2 tons.
‡ In 1949 and subsequently the figures are calculated on a revised basis which resulted in an increase in average weekly earnings of approximately 3 per cent, for all workers.
§ First 9 months only.
¶ Since the beginning of 1953 the figures relate only to mines operated by the National Coal Board which account for 99 per cent, of the total output. From the beginning of 1954 a uniform definition of colliery activities was introduced; this resulted in a reduction which in 1953 amounted to 0–73 for Great Britain. The 1953 figures have been given on the new basis.
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