HC Deb 14 December 1953 vol 522 cc8-10W
70 and 71. Mr. Mason

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power (1) if the global sum of compensation has yet been fully distributed; and if he will state the amounts the different colliery owners have received;

(2) what amount of the global sum £164,600,000 has been paid to the former colliery owners, stating this in yearly figures since 1947.

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

Final payments amounting to £13,278,000 in respect of the global sum have been made in six out of the 21 districts. In the others, provisional payments have been made, but many of these cover subsidiary interests as well as the global sum and cannot be apportioned at this stage. It is not the practice to make public the valuations of individual claimants nor the amounts paid to them.

72. Mr. Mason

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total cost of assessing the individual colliery owners share of the global sum of compensation.

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

The cost of assessing individual owners' shares of the global sum cannot be separated from the total costs of administering the compensation provisions of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946. These costs amount at present to approximately £5,185,000 and are wholly borne by the Exchequer.

NUMBER OF PERSONS KILLED AND INJURED AT MINES AS DFFINED BY THE COAL MINES ACTS*
Killed Reportable injuries† Total injuries‡ Total fatal and other injuries (1) + (3)
(1) (2) (3) (4)
1900 1,012 Not available Not available Not available
1905 1,159 Not available Not available Not available
1910 1,775 5,737 159,042 160,817
1915 1,297 4,751 Not available Not available
1920 1,103 4,287 117,302 118,405
1925 1,136 4,336 178,060 179,196
1930 1,013 3,812 166,281 167,294
1935 861 3,257 133,756 134,617
1940 923 3,237 146,388 147,311
1945 550 2,353 181,059 181,609
1946 543 2,335 167,210 167,753
1947 618 2,446 162,544 163,162
1948 468 2,391 182,566 183,034
1949 460 2,180 229,143 229,603
1950 493 2,020 237,833 238,326
1951 487 1,942 234,390 234,877
1952 420 2,109 238,500 238,920
1953(estimated) 400 1,960 239,000 239,400
* From 1925, the figures refer to Great Britain, while those for earlier years include Ireland.
† Injuries which are occasioned by accidents or dangerous occurrences immediately reportable to H.M. Inspectors of Mines either because of the severity of the resulting injury or the nature of the occurrence. Except for a very small number where the period of disablement was less than 4 days (8 days prior to 1925), the figures are included in column 3.
‡ For 1925 and subsequent years the figures relate to accidents disabling persons for more than 3 days; previously they relate to those disabling for more than 7 days.

73. Mr. Slater

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the payment of compensation will cease, in accordance with the Nationalisation Act, 1946, to the previous owners.

Mr. Joynson-Hicks

Payment of compensation under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act, 1946, cannot be completed until the determinations of value of all transferred interests have been certified. Valuations have been completed in some districts, but in others review proceedings are pending.

Back to