§ 25. Mr. Swinglerasked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether it is his policy to continue the campaign for increased manpower in the coal industry.
§ 26. Mr. Haireasked the Minister of Fuel and Power to what extent further recruitment for the mines is now necessary; and in what categories and numbers.
§ Mr. RobensThe National Coal Board are reviewing their manpower requirements but meanwhile the recruitment campaign which they are undertaking with the Ministry of Labour will continue. However, as was explained in the Report 49W by the Joint Committee on Production last Autumn, output depends on the number of men who are effectively employed at the coal face and, provided the number of face workers increases, a drop in the total number of workers employed is not necessarily undesirable. On the other hand, there are a number of coalfields where shortage of recruits is holding up promotion of the more experienced men to the face and it is here that new labour is most urgently required. The stress will be on recruitment of boys and young men who have completed their National Service, but others will be needed if only to balance wastage, which is estimated at 65,000 to 70,000 during this year.