HC Deb 17 March 1986 vol 94 cc29-30W
Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many miners have left the coal industry since April 1985 up to the end of February 1986; and what are the present figures for numbers employed giving surface and underground figures separately.

Mr. David Hunt

Between 30 March 1985 and 1 March 1986 there was a reduction of 31,637, to 139,742, in the number of men on colliery books. Of this latter figure 114,679 were employed in underground grades.

United Kingdom coal imports*
'000 tonnes
Origin 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985
EC countries
France 1 14 7 229 28
Federal Republic of Germany 132 334 482 959 746
Irish Republic 5 3 4 17 12
Netherlands 8 43 86 304 306
Belgium 7 34 63 232 167
Greece 2
Denmark 11 2
Total EC 153 431 642 1,753 1,263
Non-EC countries
Australia 1,791 1,143 1,987 1,859 5,390
United States of America 1,954 2,053 1,142 3,344 3,145
Poland 142 320 509 1,359 1,387
South Africa 80 67 58 257 725
Canada 117 399
Columbia 89
Bulgaria 81
German Democratic Republic 74 37
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics 34 12 23 11 23
Other 136 36 95 120 97
Total Non-EC 4,137 3,631 3,814 7,141 11,372
Grand Total 4,290 4,062 4,456 8,894 12,635

Mr. Mason

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest figures for workers in the coal mining industry in each of the coalfields, and giving the number of pits still working and specifying those which are profitable and unprofitable at the present time.

Mr. David Hunt

As at 1 March 1986 the numbers of men on colliery books and producing collieries in each NCB Area were as follows:

Men on Books Collieries
Scotland 7,735 9
North East 17,952 11
North Yorkshire 20,270 22
South Yorkshire 18,082 19
North Derbyshire 9,344 9
Nottinghamshire 26,723 22
South Midlands 9,358 10
Kent 1,450 3
Western 15,354 13
South Wales 13,474 17
TOTAL 139,742 135

Many pits are making considerable progress with measures to improve profitability but these cannot usefully be assessed over a short period.