§ 22. Mr. Nealasked the Paymaster-General what estimate he has made of the manpower requirements of the coal industry for the remaining period of 1959.
§ Sir I. HorobinThe National Coal Board endeavours to keep manpower in balance with coal requirements, but it is impossible at this date to give a firm estimate.
§ Mr. NealIs the Parliamentary Secretary making the confession that there is no budget for manpower for the year? Is he aware of the uneasiness in the coalfields? Can he tell the House how many miners will lose their jobs during 1959?
§ Sir I. HorobinIf the hon. Member tables a Question on that point I might be able to attempt to guess, but both sides of the House are always at variance on the question of how we can usefully endeavour to decide months or even years ahead exactly what will happen. The National Coal Board has its own ideas and is doing its best to avoid unemployment in the coalfields, and the Government are backing it up, but it is impossible to give an exact figure.
§ Mr. NealIs the hon. Gentleman aware that until his Government came to power manpower budgets were always made for the coal industry?
§ Sir I. HorobinThat is one of the reasons why we do not go on doing it.
§ Mr. NabarroIs my hon. Friend aware that this month's manpower figure of 681,000 in the coalfields is 69,000 higher than the estimate made by the National Coal Board in its "Plan for Coal" in 1950 of the manpower applicable today?
§ Sir I. HorobinBroadly speaking, my hon. Friend is right; but, what is more important, there are fewer men mining more coal.