§ 25. Mr. Skinnerasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will issue a general direction to the National Coal Board to reduce substantially the number of outside contractors in the coal industry.
§ Mr. RidleyNo, Sir.
§ Mr. SkinnerThat is no more than I expected from the butcher himself. Is the hon. Gentleman aware that while, 24 with Government interference, the miners have been subjected to a 5 per cent. cut in real wages, hoards of outside contractors, many of them with representation in this House, are milking this industry to the tune of millions of £s a year? If he cannot do anything about this, is it not time that he saw to it that someone did?
§ Mr. RidleyThe coal industry nationalisation specifically reserved the right to the N.C.B. to decide whether to employ outside contractors or to do the work itself. I believe that it decides in each case on economic grounds.