§ 44. Mr. Eadieasked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of the number of pits for closure in the county
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§ Mr. Ridleyasked the Minister of Power what estimate he has made of manpower at collieries for each of the next eight years up to 1975 on the basis that the Central Electricity Generating Board will burn an additional 6,000,000 tons of coal annually, and that the Central Electricity Generating Board will burn the cheapest fuel only, respectively.
§ Mr. FreesonThe White Paper on Fuel Policy assumes employment in the mining industry of about 295,000 in 1970 and about 190,000 in 1975. The provision in the Coal Industry Bill and the White Paper for limited support for coal consumption only extends to March, 1971. At current levels of productivity, the production of 6 million tons of coal requires the continuing employment of about 15,000 men.
§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Power how many juveniles joined the mining industry in the years 1963, 1964 and 1965–66.
§ Mr. FreesonThe figures are:
N.C.B. mines Juveniles newly employed 1963 10,804 1964 10,705 1965–66 8,154
§ Mr. Swainasked the Minister of Power how many men between the ages of 20 and 45 years left the mining industry in 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966 and 1967.
§ Mr. FreesonFigures for this age group are not available. The wastage figures for the nearest age groups are:
of Midlothian, as a consequence of the White Paper on Fuel Policy.
§ Mr. FreesonThe White Paper on Fuel Policy gave estimates of the likely trends 255W of coal consumption up to 1975, and set out a policy of slowing the run down of coal consumption. The detailed planning of the colliery closure programme consequent on these levels of consumption is a matter for the National Coal Board who have not so far informed me of the names of any collieries in Midlothian which they propose to close.
46. Mr. Wileyasked the Minister of Power what representations he has received from the Chairman of the Northern Regional Economic Planning Council on the delay of pit closures in the Northern Region; and what reply he has sent.
§ Mr. MarshThe Chairman of the Northern Regional Economic Planning Council sent me a copy of his letter of 31st August to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Economic Affairs about the intended closure of Harrington Colliery. This is one of the 16 collieries whose closures were subsequently deferred following the Prime Minister's Statement on 29th September.