HC Deb 11 July 1927 vol 208 cc1749-51W
Mr. BECKETT

asked the Secretary for Mines the latest figures of pits and men employed in Northumberland and Durham?

Colonel LANE FOX

At the 2nd July, the figures were 95 coal mines and 48,900 wage-earners in Northumberland, and 187 coal mines and 129,100 wage-earners in Durham.

Sir A. STEEL-MAITLAND

I have been asked to reply. The following table shows the numbers and percentaages of persons classified as belonging to the coal-mining industry in Northumberland and Durham recorded as unemployed in June, 1925, and June, 1927, respectively:

Mr. BECKETT

asked the Secretary for Mines how many pits in Northumberland and Durham were not working on 1st June, 1913, 1920, 1925 and 1927, respectively?

Colonel LANE FOX

On 1st June, 1925, 36 pits normally employing 14,100 wage-earners in Northumberland and 73 normally employing 29,300 wage-earners in Durham were not working. On 1st June, 1927, the corresponding figures were 28 (4,400 wage-earners) and 84 (13,900 wage-earners), respectively. I regret that similar information for 1913 and 1920 is not available.

Mr. BECKETT

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of miners employed in Northumberland and Durham on 1st June, 1913, 1920, 1925, and 1927, respectively?

Colonel LANE FOX

The figures are as follow:

Number of wage-earners employed at coal mines in
Date. 1st June: Northumberland. Durham.
1913 … 59,200 160,100
1920 … 60,900 170,600
1925 … 48,900 146,200
1927 … 51,900 134,600

Note.—The above figures include a small number of wage-earners employed at coal mines in raising or handling minerals other than coal.

Mr. BECKETT

asked the Secretary for Mines what were the exports of coal from Northumberland and Durham in the first quarter of the years 1913, 1920, 1925, and 1927, respectively?

Colonel LANE FOX

The quantities of coal exported from the north-east coast ports of England in the first quarter of 1913, 1920, 1925, and 1927 were 5,354,600 tons, 2,553,600 tons, 4,484,200 tons and 5,070,200 tons, respectively.

Mr. BECKETT

asked the Secretary for Mines the output of coal in the Northumberland and Durham coalfields for the first quarter of 1913, 1920, 1925, and 1927, respectively?

Colonel LANE FOX

The figures are as follow:

Output of coal in
Period. First quarter of Northumberland. Durham.
tons. tons.
1913 … 3,500,000* 10,400,000*
1920 … 2,971,000 8,275,000
1925 … 3,189,000 8,549,000'
1927 … 3,628,000 8,963,000
*Approximate.