§ Mr. T. Hendersonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether any increase in the price of coal is contemplated in the near future.
Major Lloyd GeorgeYes, Sir. The prices of coal and coke will be raised as from 1st February by an average of three shillings a ton. This increase in the price of coal has been made necessary by a variety of factors. The Coal Charges Account has been running at a loss for 399W some considerable time, and it is necessary to repay loans made by the Treasury to the Account. It is also necessary to provide for the financial effects of recent legislation on Workmen's Compensation and to secure to the owners the credit balances promised by the Government. It is also anticipated that production costs will increase still further during 1944, owing to decline in productivity per head due to the increasing age of the miners, the wastage of experienced workers and the addition of new entrants into the industry.