23. Major Lloydasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many years are covered by the assertion that British coal mines are now producing more per manshift than they have for years, made in the pamphlet issued on 26th June, 1949, in the United States of America by the British Government Information Service in New York; and whether he will give the output figures per man in the years 1937, 1938, 1947 and 1948.
Mr. McNeilThe hon. and gallant Member no doubt refers to the Press statement issued by the British Information Services in New York on 22nd June containing answers to questions frequently put by Americans in connection with the dollar drive. In the passage dealing with coal output it was made clear that the period covered was the 11 years from 1938. Nineteen thirty-seven was not included. The British Information Services statement referred to the last figures available at the time, namely,130W those for May, 1949. Further, it pointed out that whereas in 1938 the weekly average was 4,353,000 tons produced by 782,000 miners, in the week ending the 21st May, 1949, 4,373,000 tons were produced by 726,000 miners. These figures are those issued by the National Coal Board. I give below the output figures requested.
Output per manshift worked overall, as recorded in figures published by the National Coal Board was: tons 1937 … … … 1.17 1938 … … … 1.14 1947 … … … 1.07 1948 … … … 1.11 1949: January … … … 1.14 February … … … 1.16 March … … … 1.17 April … … … 1.14 May … … … 1.15