§ 66. Sir W. Smithersasked the Minister of Fuel and Power in how many years since 1900 have the statistics for coal output been based on a 53-week year.
§ Mr. GaitskellThe annual figures of coal production published in the Statistical Digest are based on a strict calendar year from 1st January to 31st December, and the figure for 1947, which will in due course be published, will be on this basis. The programming of coal supplies which has to be done on aweekly basis was only started during the war. The period taken for each year up to 1946 was 52 weeks, but in 1947 this would have resulted in the year ending on 27th December. Accordingly 1947 was treated as a 53-week year.