HC Deb 13 February 1964 vol 689 cc524-5
2. Mr. Woof

asked the Minister of Power if he will give the number of coal mines closed, the number closed through exhaustion, and the number closed through uneconomic reasons, since vesting day up to the latest date.

Mr. Erroll

The total number of collieries closed by the National Coal Board between 1947 and the end of 1963 was 450. I understand that of these 223 had exhausted their reserves, 170 were uneconomic and the remaining 57 were closed for other reasons such as manpower redeployment, flooding and fire.

Mr. Woof

Is the Minister aware that recently 11 collieries have been closed in my constituency and that further closures are contemplated? Will he consult the Durham Division of the National Coal Board with a view to mitigating the social and economic consequences of further closures until alternative employment is provided?

Mr. Erroll

As I am sure the hon. Gentleman knows, individual colliery closures are a matter for the National Coal Board. I am assured that the Board, by careful phasing of closures, does its best to avoid heavy local unemployment and makes every effort to offer alternative jobs to men displaced. With a high level of economic activity in the country generally, and now fortunately in the North-East, I think that the Board should be able to pursue that policy without the hardship to which the hon. Gentleman has drawn attention.

Mr. T. Fraser

Is not the Minister aware that the National Coal Board has had to run down the total manpower employed by about 200,000 in the last five years? It is, therefore, not possible for the Board to offer alternative employment. Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider his reply to my hon. Friend and see whether he as Minister of Power can delay closures in some of these cases until his successor at the Board of Trade has been more successful than he has been in attracting alternative employment to these areas?

Mr. Erroll

I think that the figures speak for themselves, because from 1959 to 1963 only about 5,000 men were redundant out of a total of more than 60,000 affected by closures. The policy which I pursued was, I think, successful, and I am sure that my successor will be equally successful.