§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power by what authority or under what regulation or Act he issued instructions to drop prosecution of miners for absenteeism or persistent lateness
§ Mr. ShinwellArticle 6 (3) of the Essential Work (Coalmining Industry) Order, 1943, provides that in certain circumstances a recommendation may be made to a National Service Officer that proceedings should be instituted against a person who has acted contrary to the provisions of Article 6 (1) of the Order. The Order does not require that any such recommendation should be made.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power the estimated loss of output per annum caused by 1 per cent. of
Percentage of Absenteeism in the Coal Mining Industry Year. All Workers. Face Workers only. 1921* (last qtr.) 6.5 Not available. 1922 … … … 7.8 1923 … … … 8.0 1924 … … … 8.1 1925 … … … 7.5 1926* (1st qtr.) … 7.6 1927 … … … 6.1 1928 … … … 6.0 1929 … … … 7.0 1930 … … … 6.5 1931 … … … 6.3 1932 … … … 5.4 1933 … … … 5.7 1934 … … … 5.7 1935 … … … 6.0 1936 … … … 6.3 1937 … … … 7.1 1938 … … … 6.4 1939 … … … 6.9 1940 … … … 8.3 1941 … … … 9.0 1942 … … … 10.4 1943 … … 12.1 Voluntary Involuntary Voluntary Involuntary 4.9 7.5 6.1 9.0 1944 … … … 5.6 8.0 6.8 9.5 1945 (1st 6 months) … 6.4 9.2 7.6 10.6 *National disputes. Note: There was a change in the basis of the series at the end of 1943. To facilitate comparison the figures for 1943 are given on the old as well as the new basis. In regard to the earlier period, no records are available covering the years 1900 to 1912. Figures for 1913 to 1918 were published in the Sankey Report on
78Wvoluntary absenteeism of all workers and of coalface workers.
§ Mr. ShinwellCalculations of the loss of output due to absenteeism depend on a number of assumptions; and in the case of coalface workers in particular it is impossible to conceive of a change in absenteeism at the coalface in isolation from other changes.
§ Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power what was the percentage of avoidable absenteeism and of unavoidable absenteeism, respectively, for all workers in the coalmines and for coalface workers, respectively, for each of the years from 1900 to the latest available date; and the yearly average for the first three quarters of 1945.
§ Mr. ShinwellThe following is the information available from the year 1921. Complete figures for the third quarter of 1945 have not yet been obtained.
the Coal Industry and show absenteeism for all workers to have been approximately 10 per cent. This figure, however, is not comparable with those given above.