HC Deb 29 November 1976 vol 921 cc456-8
6. Mr. Cronin

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the Chairman of the National Coal Board on the subject of earlier retirement for miners and its effect on production.

Mr. Benn

I have discussed the question of earlier retirement for mine workers with the Chairman of the National Coal Board and many others in the industry over a long period.

Mr. Cronin

In the course of his discussions will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that nearly all modern industrial countries allow their miners to retire at the age of 60, 55 or 50, and that Britain is the sole disagreeable exception to that rule? Will he also bear in mind that health considerations are involved, as well as economic advantages to the miners? Finally, would it not be possible to make some firm arrangement now to lower the miners' retirement age as soon as the Government's wages policy allows that to be implemented?

Mr. Benn

My hon. Friend has drawn attention to some of the factors that influence the National Union of Mineworkers very strongly. The House should be in no doubt about the feeling of the NUM about the age of retirement. The parallels that my hon. Friend cites, from Germany, Belgium and France, are correct, and there are health factors that bear upon this question. I am quite confident that a solution will be found, but the "how" and "when" of it have been the subject of discussions. I am sure that in the end we shall meet with success.

Mr. Hordern

Is it not striking that about 22 per cent. of face workers are aged 55 and over? Has the Secretary of State had a proper analysis carried out for him showing where the incidence of those miners falls, and whether they make up a large proportion, for example, in some of the older mines? Surely what the House needs is a much closer examination of the whole question. Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to make such an examination and to make the results available in the Library?

Mr. Benn

The age structure is one of the problems, and it stems from the very big closure programme that took place earlier. The geographical spread of older miners among various types of pit is another factor that has had to be taken into account. I have at my disposal a lot of information about this. In the light of the hon. Gentleman's question, I shall see whether any of this has not been published and should be published, and, if so, I shall be very ready to do so.

Mr. Kelley

Is my right hon. Friend aware that every day, every week, every month and every year the average age of miners in Britain becomes higher and higher, and that the industry is not bringing in people who are able to use the sophisticated machinery in which the industry has invested? It is time that the Government decided to support the miners' demand for earlier retirement in order to give an inducement to younger people to go into the industry fully to exploit the capital investment of the industry.

Mr. Benn

I thank my hon. Friend for his remarks. In the discussions that have taken place between the NUM, the NCB, colliery managers, the NACODS and myself, we have tried to relate the problem of earlier retirement to the future expansion and development of the mining industry under the tripartite "Plan for Coal", first agreed in 1974 and now just about to be up-dated, and all these factors will be taken into account.

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