§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the envisaged annual reduction in the milling labour force as a result of the Coal Industry Bill.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanAs I said on 11th December, I do not wish to pre-empt the outcome of the review of performance of individual collieries to be undertaken jointly by the NCB and the unions.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many nuclear power stations could be provided and made operational on the basis that the same amount of money were invested in this form of power as is proposed for the coal industry; and what percentage of the overall electricity needs of the United Kingdom could be provided in this way.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanEstimates cannot be given with any reasonable degree of precision. The Coal Industry Bill sets limits to expenditure in support of the coal industry but does not determine the actual amounts to be spent within those limits. The answers would depend also on the size and type of the power stations and the demand for electricity during their lifetime.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will show how absenteeism has changed since 445W the miners' strike by comparing absenteeism for as many months as figures are available since the 1972 strike with the same period in 1971.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanThe Department's latest weekly statistical statement shows that in the first 37 weeks of the National Coal Board's current accounting year the absence percentage was 16.38 compared with 17.61 during the similar period last year.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of absenteeism in the coal industry, stating the number of miners engaged and the absentee days lost, and also show the latter as a percentage of total working days for each of the last 10 years.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanTable 11 of the National Coal Board Report and Accounts for 1971–72 gives the following information which is readily available:
Year ended March Average manpower (thousands) Absence Percentage 1963 544.3 15.4 1964 517.0 15.9 1965 491.0 16.0 1966 455.7 18.0 1967 419.4 17.3 1968 391.9 18.2 1969 336.3 18.1 1970 305.1 18.3 1971 287.2 19.2 1972 281.5 17.7 The number of days lost through absenteeism is not readily available. The absence percentage covers both voluntary and involuntary non-appearances, and these are expressed as percentages of possible appearances during the normal working week. Involuntary non-appearances are limited to absence due to sickness, industrial disease and injury or for other authorised reasons. In 1971–72 the voluntary absence was 4.3 per cent., the involuntary 13.4 per cent.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many mines which are still open are non-productive; and how many miners are engaged in such mines.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanI understand from the National Coal Board that at 2nd December 1972 there were 261 men employed at four mines where coal446W winding ceased recently. In addition, there is one colliery—Thorne, in the Doncaster area, employing three men—which is currently being held in reserve on a care and maintenance basis.
§ Mr. Ralph Howellasked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will tabulate the capital assets of the National Coal Board outside mining activities.
§ Mr. Tom BoardmanSchedule 1(b) on pages 16 and 17 of Volume II of the Board's Report and Accounts for 1971–72 gives the following information:
Activity Fixed assets less provision for depreciation 25th March 1972 £ million Coke ovens 13.8 Carbonisation secondary by-products 1.1 Processed fuel 10.2 NCB Exploration 7.3 Distribution of solid fuel 6.3 Manufacture and supply of bricks and other building materials 1.3 Houses 48.1 Estates and farms 4.0 Other activities 2.4 The board's interests in joint enterprises and trade investments were valued at £17.2 million. The details will be found on pages 20 to 23 of the accounts.