§ Mr. NIELDasked what number of persons not of British nationality are at present employed, or were employed at the date of the last Return, in the coal coal mining industry or actually working in the mines in Scotland; and what are the respective nationalities of such persons, and the number of each nationality so employed, and in what areas, respectively?
§ Mr. McKENNAExact figures are not available, but the number of aliens working Scottish mines is estimated by the inspector of the division roughly at 2,400, of whom the great majority are Poles. I am seeing whether more exact figures can be obtained, and if so, I will communicate them to the hon. Member.
§ Mr. NIELDalso asked what number of persons not of British nationality are at present employed, or at the date of the last Return were employed, in the coal mining industry or actually working in the mines in England and Wales; and what are the respective nationalities of such persons, and the number of each nationality so employed, and in what areas respectively?
§ Mr. McKENNAExact figures are not available, but the estimates given by the inspectors of mines of the number of aliens employed in their respective districts are as follows:—
- 1. Newcastle District.—A few aliens are employed here and there, not exceeding a few hundreds altogether.
- 2. Durham District.—No aliens are employed underground. A very few are employed above ground.
- 3. York and North Midland District.—The number of aliens employed is so small as to be negligible.
- 4. Manchester and Ireland District.—Aliens are employed in four mines, their total number being about thirty-seven, of whom thirty-four are Poles.
- 5. Liverpool and North Wales District.—At the time of the last annual Return, eighty-eight aliens, of whom eighty-five were Poles or Lithuanians, were employed in West Lancashire underground, and one in Flintshire above ground.
- 6. South Wales District.—Very few aliens are employed in the district generally. In four collieries in Brecon, however, one of which formerly belonged to
569 foreign owners, eighty-five aliens are employed, of French, Spanish, Portuguese, and German nationalities. - 7. Midland and Southern District.—The number of aliens employed is so small as to be negligible.
The above returns do not include men employed on special work carried out by foreign contractors in connection with sinking shafts by patent processes, etc. Such contractors often employ their own workmen, who do not remain when the work is finished.