HC Deb 05 February 1951 vol 483 c159W
Mr. Peter Freeman

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the number of mechanical conveyors in use at the coalface and inbye at present in each of the divisions in the United Kingdom; the number of such conveyors 5, 10, 15 and 20 years ago; the percentage of the total

MECHANICAL CONVEYORS IN USE AND PERCENTAGE OF COAL MECHANICALLY CONVEYED AT MINES*
— Scottish Northern (N&C) Durham North Eastern North Western East Midland West Midland South Western South Eastern Great Britain
Total number of mechanical conveyers in use
1930 653 226 277 450 313 414 410 984 20 3,747
1935 952 461 452 895 669 890 689 1,064 68 6,140
1940 1,166 509 576 1,511 947 1,324 833 1,437 89 8,392
1945 1,176 696 757 1,950 943 1,782 864 1,403 87 9,658
1949 1,981 1,603 1,925 3,165 1,441 3,249 1,278 1,997 161 16,803
Percentage of coal mechanically conveyed
1930 32.5 17.3 7.4 12.1 20.0 16.1 25.8 16.8 17.9 17.4
1935 52.0 37.6 18.9 42.3 55.7 58.8 58.0 30.1 82.1 43.0
1940 60.7 47.5 29.9 63.1 81.3 84.8 68.2 48.1 76.6 61.1
1945† 65.4 53.5 37.3 79.7 84.5 96.1 78.2 54.7 79.6 71.0
1949† 74.3 66.9 52.4 90.2 91.7 99.8 91.9 80.7 88.5 82.7
* As defined by the Coal Mines Act, 1911, but excluding the stratified ironstone in Cleveland, Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire.
† Percentage figures for 1945 and 1949 are based on coal raised and weighed and are not strictly comparable with earlier years. Approximately 1 per cent, should be deducted from the figure for Great Britain for the year 1940 to put it on to the later basis.