§ Mr. DAYasked the Secretary for Mines how many pits have been closed or partially closed in Great Britain for the six months ended to the last convenient date, and how many men have been involved by these closures?
§ Commodore KINGSince the 1st October, 1927, 305 pits employing 40,000 wage-earners have been closed and not1972W re-opened. I regret that the number of pits partially closed and the number of wage-earners displaced thereby are not known. The total number employed in the industry has been reduced in the same period by 32,000, so that a large number has been absorbed by the increase of employment in other pits.