§ Mr. LOUGHERasked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give figures showing the total amount of the administrative expenses of the miners' welfare fund central committee for each of the
Country. Coal. Coke (in terms of coal). Lignite (in terms of coal). Total (in terms of coal). Metric tons (2,204 lbs.). France … … 4,545,802 4,766,943 216,870 9,529,615 Belgium … … 2,576,558 348,399 39,563 2,964,520 Italy … … 1,907,156 2,721 — 1,909,877 Total … … 9,029,516 5,118,063 256,433 14,404,012 The total output of coal from the Saar Mines in 1925 was 12,989,849 metric tons, but as the Saar is part of the French Customs Economic Union, information is not available as to the quantity of that coal consumed in France.
1606Wyears ending the 31st December, 1924, and 1926; and the total number of the administrative staff of the miners' welfare fund central committee for the same years?
§ Mr. A. M. SAMUELIt is impossible to answer the second part of this question. Much of the administrative work of the Miners' Welfare Fund is performed by the staff of the Mines Department, in conjunction with their other duties. As regards the members of the staff whose whole time is so occupied, no comparison can be made betwen 1924 and 1926, because in 1924 the Miners' Welfare Committee paid the Industrial Welfare Society to do for them certain technical advisory work. This has so increased as to lead the Committee to take it into their own hands. As regards the first part of the question, the expenses borne by the fund were £2,865 8s. 4d. in 1924, and £3,905 16s. 2d. in 1926. The total expenses to date amount to under 7s. for every £100 of the total allocations.