§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the earnings of a coalface worker in the coalmines in 1939 and 1944, respectively; and the percentage increase of coal-cutting machinery.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe figures asked for in the first part of the Question are not available, as the statistics of earnings in the coalmining industry do not distinguish between the earnings of face workers and those of other workers. As regards the second part of the Question, the percent-374W age of coal output cut by machinery rose from 61 per cent. in 1939 to 72 percent in 1944.