84. Lieut.-Commander Clark Hutchisonasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that some 3,000 out of a total of 4,000 trainees for the coal mining industry in Scotland during the past year disappeared after the completion of their training, taking with them in the aggregate 3,000 pairs of boots and 78,000 clothing coupons issued to them by the National Coal Board; and what steps he proposes to take to stop malpractices of this nature in the future.
§ Mr. GaitskellI am informed by the National Coal Board that, contrary to reports which have appeared in the Press, of 4,379 inexperienced adult recruits who completed training in Scotland in 1947 only 255 failed to report for work at the collieries. These men were issued with a safety helmet and a pair of safety boots each at the commencement of training, but were not issued with clothing coupons.