HC Deb 05 December 1960 vol 631 cc838-40
11. Mr. Blyton

asked the Minister of Power if he has any plans to arrest the drift of young men and mechanically skilled labour from the coal mines.

12. Mr. Grey

asked the Minister of power to what extent he estimates that the continued decline in manpower in the coal industry will result in a shortage of domestic coal this winter.

Mr. George

The manning of the coal industry is a matter for the National Coal Board, which is already making vigorous efforts to improve recruitment and reduce wastage. The Board considers that manpower difficulties are not likely to cause shortages of house coal this winter.

Mr. Blyton

As the fear of insecurity in the coalfields arises from Government policy in relation to fuel matters, does the Minister think that he can sit back complacently when young men under 31 are leaving at the rate of 32,000 a year? Does the Minister expect the pits to be run with old men by 1965?

Mr. George

The reduction in numbers in the coal mines is partly the result of the Board's restriction on recruiting to meet the reduced demand for coal. Divisions generally were given authority to resume recruiting in June of this year. All divisions requiring men are now conducting vigorous local recruitment campaigns, and the National Coal Board has some reason to be satisfied with the results.

Mr. Grey

The Minister said that he would reply to Questions No. 11 and 12 together, but I ask him to look at No. 12 again and answer it, because what he said is not an answer to my Question. Is he aware that the decline in manpower in the industry is due to the failure of the Government to provide an adequate fuel policy? If there is any grave shortage of coal in winter, the responsibility will be his and that of the Government. Is he further aware that the reason why many miners are leaving the industry is their fear for the future of the industry? Will he make it quite clear to all and sundry that there is still a great future for the industry, that we shall always need large quantities of coal, and that the industry itself will always be the mainstay of the economy of this country?

Mr. George

The hon. Gentleman's Question requested information regarding the effect of the declining manpower on the supply of domestic coal this winter. While it is impossible to quantify the effect of the industry's current manpower difficulties on house coal supplies, the Board does not think it will cause a shortage this winter. With regard to the second part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, I agree that the confidence of young men in the future of the industry is not helped by pessimistic forecasts about output. The Government's view is that the lower 1965 figure in the Revised Plan for Coal, which envisages 200 million tons of mining capacity at that time, will not be far out.

Mr. J. Griffiths

Has the Minister given serious consideration to the growing experience in the coalfields, that in particular skilled men, who are becoming ever more essential in this mechanised period of mining, find it much more attractive to go to other industries, where the relative scale of earnings of maintenance men, skilled fitters and the rest, is adverse to the National Coal Board? In these circumstances, will he give serious consideration to that aspect?

Mr. George

I would not seek to minimise, nor would the Board, the gravity of the problem which the right hon. Gentleman has raised, but the matter of wages is one for negotiation between the National Coal Board and the unions concerned.

Mr. Blyton

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of that reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment as soon as possible.