§ Sir R. Youngasked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many of the coal mines of Great Britain are supplied with coal cutting machinery; how many with conveyors; how many have been fully mechanised since the war began; and to what extent coal production has been increased thereby estimated on the number of mine workers employed.
Major Lloyd GeorgeI regret that it is not possible to give this informtion in the form asked for, since the latest return available of mining machinery in use at mines under the Coal Mines Act is that for 1942, complete figures for 1943 not yet having been received from collieries.
The following table shows the number of mines working and the number using coal cutters, conveyors and gate end loaders for each year from 1938 to 1942.
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Year. No. of Mines Working. No. of Mines using Coalcutters. No. of Mines using Conveyors and Gate-end Loaders. 1938 … 2,125 927 680 1939 … 2,082 917 673 1940 … 1,999 929 670 1941 … 1,969 904 678 1942 … 1,961 927 685 It is not possible to say how many mines are fully mechanised, since the degree of mechanisation possible in each case must always be a matter of opinion. Nor is it possible to give an estimate of the increased output per man resulting from mechanisation.