HC Deb 03 February 1972 vol 830 cc178-9W
Mr. Cormack

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of those engaged in the coal industry were over 50 years of age on 1st January, and how many were under 30 years of age; and what percentage of the labour force these figures represented.

Mr. Dudley Smith

The most recent comprehensive analysis by age of the numbers of employees in the coal mining industry (including the registered unemployed) is for June, 1970, when the total number was about 382,000 of which about 68,000 (or 17.8 per cent.) were under 30 years of age and about 151,000 (or about 39.6 per cent.) were aged 50 or over.