HC Deb 06 July 1959 vol 608 c873
16. Mr. Warbey

asked the Paymaster-General whether having regard to the prospect of further pit closures in 1960 and subsequent years, he will introduce legislation to enable grants to be paid to the National Coal Board to provide wholly, or in part, for the payment of adequate compensation to miners made redundant by such closures.

Mr. Maudling

No, Sir. Miners rendered unemployed by pit closures are entitled to benefits under the National Unemployment Insurance Scheme and the National Coal Board's Scheme of Compensation for Redundant Mineworkers.

Mr. Warbey

Whilst agreeing that the Coal Board has been very generous so far to redundant miners, may I ask whether we are not approaching a very serious situation? Would it not be well to prepare for it well in advance? Have the Government considered the possibility of doing for publicly-owned industry what they have been prepared to do for a number of privately-owned industries, from cotton to shipping?

Mr. Maudling

I thought that cotton would appear in the supplementary question, but on examination it will be seen that there is a considerable difference between the two industries. The hon. Member, as I said, is rather exaggerating the difficulties which lie ahead of the coal industry.

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