§ Mr. HOGGEasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the amount paid or payable by the coal industry by way of excess payments, and the amount paid or payable to owners of mines by way of compensation under the Coal Mines Agreement (Confirmation) Act?
§ Mr. BRIDGEMANUp to the 10th July, 1919, the total sum collected by the Board of Inland Revenue and paid into the account of the Board of Trade was £795,000. At the same date a total sum of £3,194,000 had been paid by the Controller to colliery owners under the guarantee contained in Clause 4 of the Schedule to the Coal Mines Control Agreement (Confirmation) Act, 1918. It is impossible to estimate what further amounts may be payable to the account of the Board of Trade as coal mines excess payments or to colliery owners under Clause 4. Such amounts depend upon a variety of factors, among which are the uncertain duration of the Coal Mines Control Agreement, and the extent to which sums already paid to owners under the guarantee in Clause 4 will be recovered out of the amount by which the profits of the later accounting periods ended 31st December, 1918, exceed the guaranteed standards for such periods.