§ Mr. Lomasasked the Minister of Power how many pit ponies are still employed in mines in each region of the National Coal Board; how many have been destroyed, surfaced, or retired in each year from 1950 to the present date; and if he will make a statement.
§ Dr. BrayThe number of ponies employed underground in National Coal Board mines has declined from over 20,000 in 1947 to 4,067 in 30th June, 1965.
The following were the numbers of ponies employed underground in each Division of the National Coal Board on 30th June, 1965, the latest date for which figures are available:
Scottish … 6 Northumberland and Durham. … 2,409 Yorkshire … 575 North Western … 9 East Midlands … 657 West Midlands … 48 South Western … 363 Total … 4,067 No ponies were employed underground in the Kent coalfield.
The following are the total numbers of pit ponies destroyed or retired from underground work at National Coal 30W Board mines in each year from 1950 (the figures relate to years ending 30th June):
1950 … … … 1,859 1951 … … … 1,744 1952 … … … 1,457 1953 … … … 1,442 1954 … … … 1,411 1955 … … … 1,346 1956 … … … 1,178 1957 … … … 1,177 1958 … … … 1,102 1959 … … … 969 1960 … … … 1,192 1961 … … … 865 1962 … … … 716 1963 … … … 655 1964 … … … 618 1965 … … … 539 Separate figures are not available of the number of ponies brought to the surface.
The proper care and treatment of horses in mines is the responsibility of the National Coal Board, but is safeguarded by regulations under the Mines and Quarries Act, 1954, and four Horse Inspectors are employed whole-time in the enforcement of these provisions
The National Coal Board expects that employment of ponies underground will have ceased altogether by the early nineteen seventies.