§ Mr. Patrick Maitlandasked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many collieries he expects to be worked out in Lanarkshire within the next 10 years; and how many persons they now employ.
§ Mr. Geoffrey LloydI understand that a number of Lanarkshire pits may be closed within the next ten years because244W of the exhaustion of the economically workable coal resources. I would prefer not to give an estimate of the actual number of pits likely to be affected since any such estimate must in present circumstances be regarded as tentative.