HC Deb 27 January 1986 vol 90 cc635-6
Mr. Douglas

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the current level of employment in the coal industry in Scotland.

Mr. David Hunt

At the end of December the Scottish area of the NCB had approximately 8,500 men on colliery books.

Mr. Douglas

Will the Minister accept that that figure would be enhanced by at least 160 if the Coal Board would accept the decisions of industrial tribunals that have gone against it? Will he acknowledge that I have written to the Leader of the House and his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State giving him detailed evidence of a meeting at Comrie colliery, which was taped? When my constituent, Mr. Robert Young, went before an industrial tribunal the National Coal Board endeavoured to fabricate evidence that would defame that man for life. Will the hon. Gentleman use his good office to conduct an inquiry into the methods and approach of the Coal Board in Scotland in dealing with dismissed miners, with a view to getting them back to work and getting decisions of the industrial tribunal agreed to by the board?

Mr. Hunt

No, and I reject much of the intemperate language used by the hon. Gentleman. He must realise that the dismissal and re-employment of employees must be a matter for the management of the Scottish area of the National Coal Board. I know that the area director has carefully considered each case, and I am sure that all the available evidence will have been scrutinised before any decision was made.

Mr. Bill Walker

Does my hon. Friend agree that the level of employment in the Scottish coalfields depends vitally on productivity from that coalfield, and that one sure way to make certain that there will be employment in the future is to continue with the progress that has been made recently?

Mr. Hunt

I am pleased that my hon. Friend has given me this opportunity to pay tribute to men and management in Scotland, where productivity has now increased by 40 per cent. since the end of the strike. That is a marvellous recovery by men and management.

Mr. Eadie

Surely the Minister is not trying to defend the decision of the National Coal Board in relation to dismissed miners who went before a tribunal and were found to have been unfairly dismissed. The tribunal recommended that the coal board give them back their jobs. The hon. Gentleman knows that the song that he and his hon. Friends sang to the House was that the way out for dismissed miners was that they had to go before an industrial tribunal. Is the hon. Gentleman defending the attitude of the National Coal Board, which at present is indefensible?

Mr. Hunt

The careful consideration that each case has received is emphasised by the fact that out of 206 men dismissed for strike-related offences in Scotland, 75 have been reinstated. I have said that there was a revolution in the Scottish coalfields. It is not the sort of revolution that the hon. Gentleman's friend, Mr. Scargill, wanted. It is a quiet revolution in productivity, and it is about time Opposition Members recognised and paid tribute to that fact. [HON. MEMBERS: "Cheat."]

Mr. Donald Stewart

Will the Minister accept the view expressed—[HON. MEMBERS: "Withdraw."]

Mr. Speaker

Order.

Mr. Stewart

Will the Minister accept that the view of the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Mr. Douglas) is widely supported in Scotland, not least by many people who did not support the coal strike? They see the action of the coal board as simply spiteful discrimination against the miners who have been cleared by industrial tribunals. Will he bear in mind Churchill's dictum of magnanimity once the battle is over and restore the men to their jobs?

Mr. Robert Atkins

On a point of order, Mr. Speaker. I distinctly heard Opposition Members describe someone as a "cheat". Is that a parliamentary expression?

Mr. Speaker

Order. There was a great deal of noise, and I did not hear anybody using an unparliamentary expression, but if it was used, I ask the hon. Member concerned to withdraw the word.

Mr. Ashton

I was one of the hon. Members who said, "cheat". Is it not a fact that the National Coal Board—[Interruption.]

Mr. Speaker

Order. The hon. Gentleman knows that the use of intemperate language here, particularly unparliamentary language, is not a part of our conventions. I ask the hon. Gentleman to withdraw that word, although I had not called him to speak.

Mr. Eadie

I was one of the hon. Members who used the word "cheat". I was provoked by the Minister who was answering the question. I withdraw that word, on your ruling, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Ashton

If you insist, Mr. Speaker, I shall withdraw that word too.

Mr. Hunt

All that I shall say in answer to the question asked by the right hon. Member for Western Isles (Mr. Stewart) is that appeals are now being considered, and it would not be appropriate to comment further on specific cases.